Having Your Children Participate in Activities
Parents: Before you ever sign your young children up for any formal activity, whether a sport, music, dancing or singing, they should be doing some of these activities at home with you. Dance with your toddlers, sing with them, play catch with them and let them frolic in kiddie pools. This will give you an early picture of which activities they particularly enjoy.
The Benefit of Activities for Children
One of the greatest benefits of participating in an activity, whether individual or team, is the opportunity it gives children to have fun. (If they are not having fun, or you have coerced them to take up an activity, it’s not likely to be the right activity for them.) Another beneift of any activity is developing a new skill. This is coupled with other perks like enhanced self-esteem and self-awareness, doing better socially and gaining personal confidence. Plus, activities that involve other children teach teamwork and cooperation skills. In addition, participation in extracurricular activities often leads to success in the classroom.
Choosing the Right Activity
The younger children are, the greater the role of parents in choosing activities for them. No matter who chooses an activity, parents need to consider these factors: the level of involvement required, the cost, what their children’s friends are doing and whether participation in the activity will be burdensome for the family. Opportunities abound for children to participate in activities. An easy way to find out what is available in your community is by looking at ads in this magazine and talking to other parents.
The Time to Start Participating in Activities
Today, there is a trend of children as young as toddlers participating in activities outside their families. Opinions about the best age to start specific activities vary among physicians, mental health experts and teachers. In general, though, everyone agrees that children develop at different rates and that this should be considered before having kids start a specific activity. If you push them into an activity too early, you may scare them away from it. Here’s a look at the ages considered appropriate for engaging in a few activities:
Swimming: One activity that all children should participate in is swimming lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that parents and infants being in a water class together helps babies grow accustomed to being in a pool and be a fun activity for them to share. The AAP advises that by their fourth birthday, most children are ready for swimming lessons and that by the age of 5 or 6, most can master the front crawl.
Sports: Children as young as 4 or 5 can try a sport, and by the ages of 6 or 7, most will have the physical skills and attention span to learn how to play a sport. The AAP says that before adolescence, young children should avoid specializing in a sport and should be encouraged to play a variety of sports. Warriors basketball star Stephen Curry would agree with this, as he did not concentrate on basketball until he was a teenager.
Dancing: Little children as young as 2 who are already movers and shakers can be ready for a dance class. It is imperative that it be one designed for their age group. For children who want to take dance seriously, the age to begin formal instruction is between 7 and 9.
Gymnastics: The best age for starting gymnastics is when children want to do it. Nevertheless, USA Gymnastics the governing body for elite gymnasts, wants children to begin training between ages 2 and 5. This is one sport that can involve a lot of competition. However, it can also be a sport that is engaged in just for fun that can be started at any age.
Music: Toddlers can begin informal music lessons where they learn to identify the beat and melody in music as well as the sound of different instruments. By age 5, children can begin semi-formal music lessons. However, the preferred age for beginning music lessons is between ages 6 and 9.
Singing: The best age for children to begin singing lessons is when they have the motivation, ability to focus and time to practice, typically between the ages of 7 and 9. However, children of any age can benefit from taking voice lessons.
Avoid Overscheduling Children in Activities
Overscheduling can lead to a whole family’s being overstressed. The golden rule for scheduling activities involving sports is one sport per season for elementary school. The younger children are, the more time they should spend in unstructured play. Studies show that most teenagers may be involved in two to three activities during the week, taking less than a total time of five hours. Overinvolvement for this age is not typically a negative unless it exceeds 20 hours a week.
Parents should send questions and comments to DearTeacher@DearTeacher.com and visit the DearTeacher.com website to learn more about helping their children succeed in school. ©Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2023
As always, please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns.