Education and Kids' Sports Go Hand in Hand

Although playing soccer may seem like one more activity to cram into an already busy schedule, kids who are active in sports will receive a wide range of benefits.

Based on recommendations from the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, kids need a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise a day. By enrolling your child in a sports team, you can kill two birds with one stone. You can give your child the necessary exercise they need while improving their development with psychological and social benefits.

Sports Participation Improves Academics

At the most basic level, kids who participate in sports have shown better rates of both school attendance and classroom behavior, based on a BBC report. These team skills are developed on a sports field and can automatically support academic success.

Kids who are part of a team learn to work together, better manage their time, take on responsibility, and develop a positive attitude. For children who may struggle with tough classroom assignments or even a learning disability, sports can teach them to better follow directions and handle problems, making routine classwork easier.

Think about it. Some of the most common skills that children learn on a sports team can be used on a daily basis in a school environment, like:

• Teamwork
• Fair play
• Honesty
• Respect
• Discipline

Kids with boundless energy levels can also use sports to learn how to better handle competition and to deal with both winning and losing. Learning how to cope with ups and downs in life will make it easier for a child to handle tough courses in school and regular examinations, regardless of the grade they earn.

Long-Term Physical Activity Builds Healthy Habits

When a child is enrolled in sports throughout their school career, it will help to encourage healthy habits that extend far beyond daily exercise. Children who embrace a love for physical activity at an early age will automatically boost their self-esteem as they grasp the concept that fitness is not only fun but feels good while doing it.

Children who enjoy regular exercise can find balance in their daily life. A child's sports team provides the opportunity for kids to develop relationships with their peers, relieve anxiety and frustration through exercise, and stick to disciplinary guidelines in the rules of the sport.

These healthy habits can be used in school and beyond by helping a child to learn how to develop social skills and a work ethic that will serve them in their future career. This balance is critical to help a child succeed as they grow into an adult.

You truly can't have one without the other. If a child has exceptional social skills without discipline, they may be difficult to control in a classroom. On the other hand, if a child has discipline without social skills, they won't know how to interact or work as a part of a team.

When a child is a part of a sports team, they'll experience the best of both worlds. They'll learn how to work together in a group within set boundaries to teach them discipline in school.