Youth Sports

Updated June 08, 2015.

Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.

Experts recommend that kids should do at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Although it is possible that your kids can be active on their own, with active free play, getting them active in youth sports is a great way to help them meet their daily physical activity requirements.

In addition to helping kids maintain a healthy weight and lowering their risk factors for coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus, regular physical activity can help to reduce anxiety and stress, boost self-esteem, and help build strong bones and strong muscles.

Youth sports can also teach kids about:

following instructions
being a good winner and a good loser
teamwork
leadership skills
self-control
fair play
setting and reaching goals
delayed gratification

Most importantly, playing youth sports can help to make sure that your kids continue to stay physically active throughout their life.

Youth Sports - Getting Started

When should you put your kids in a sport?

Most communities have youth sports programs that preschoolers can join when they are just three or four years old. These small fry sports programs often include coed baseball, basketball, and soccer, and help to get kids active, have fun, and teach them the fundamentals of the games, such as running, jumping, kicking, throwing and catching.

For parents who think that three or four years of age is too young for their kids to be in a competitive sport, like soccer or baseball, keep in mind that these are typically very non-competitive youth sports leagues. The focus in these preschool youth sports is on fun, making friends, and getting kids used to playing sports.

Most don't even keep score.

If you don't think that your preschooler is ready for one of these small fry sports programs, then a good alternative might be a preschool gymnastics or dance class.

Competitive Sports

Why don't more parents encourage their kids to play youth sports?

Some parents think that youth sports are simply too competitive and this may lead them to avoid sports all together. Others steer their kids into what they think are non-competitive sports.

In reality, all sports are competitive, whether your kids participate in baseball, tennis, or bowling. It isn't so much the sport, but rather the coaches, parents, and youth sports league that can make a sport too competitive.

For example, a six year old could likely play T-ball at a non-competitive level at the YMCA, or at a little more competitive level at a city league, or at a very competitive level on a team that is already playing tournaments. Any one could be appropriate and a good fit depending on you and your child.

While you definitely don't want to put too much pressure on your kids or have unrealistic expectations of what they should be doing, keeping them on the sidelines and not playing any sports isn't going to help them either.

Instead, join a small fry sport in a non-competitive league, which will give your kids plenty of time to try a lot of different sports and find the ones they really like. You could also try a few youth sports camps to expose your kids to a lot of different sports before signing up for a team, which will also help them figure out which sports they might like.

Other things to consider when signing your kids up for youth sports:

It often helps when kids join a team with their friends.
You usually shouldn't give up on sports just because of one bad experience. Instead, try a different team, league, or sport first, until you find the right fit for your child.
Some preschoolers don't like team sports because most players simply group together, instead of playing positions, but they may like them when play gets more organized later on.
Younger children develop skills needed to play sports at different ages, so while some kids may seem much better at sports than others, they likely just developed a little earlier, and the others will catch up if given the chance.
Specializing in one particular sport at a young age is usually not a good idea and can lead to a higher risk that your child will burn out or get injured.
You shouldn't overload your kids with practices, games, and lessons.
Lessons, in moderation, can sometimes be helpful to improve certain skills, once your kids are at least six to nine years old, but are not for everyone.

Team Sports

Team sports are popular with kids, especially younger kids, when they begin to play:

T-ball
soccer
basketball
flag football
cheerleading

As kids get older, popular team youth sports include:

baseball
softball
soccer
basketball
tackle football
volleyball
lacrosse
hockey
water polo

Keep in mind that the key to finding an activity that your kids like to play often has as much to do with the coach, other players and their parents, and league, as it does with the sport.

Individual Sports

Although some parents think that individual sports are less competitive than team sports, depending on the coach and other parents involved, they can be just as competitive.

Some kids do prefer these individual sports though, such as:

karate
swimming
wrestling
tennis
golf
track and field
dance
gymnastics
cycling
bowling
bicycle motocross
sailing
weightlifting
skiing

Recreational Activities

Of course, youth sports aren't for everyone. Everyone should be physically active, though.

In addition to active free play, keep in mind that many youth sports can be played as simple recreational activities so that there really is no competition involved at all. For example, your kids could go to karate, dance, or gymnastics lessons, but not go to any competitions. Or they could play basketball or tennis with friends.

There are many other recreational activities, such as hiking, canoeing, or flying a kite, etc. that can help your kids stay active without playing a competitive sport.

_Sources:

_{Dan Doyle. The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting. Hall of Frame Press. 2008.}

_{Paul R. Stricker, MD. Sports Success Rx! Your Child's Prescription for the Best Experience. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2006.}