Why now is the right time to get your children into sports
Keeping the family entertained in winter might feel difficult, especially when the nights draw in and the evenings become even darker. If you’ve got young children in the house, it can feel even harder to let them let off steam.
But staying active is arguably more important through winter than any other season, especially for children and young adults. Whether they’re already part of a local club, or you’d like to introduce them to sport, wintertime could be the perfect opportunity.
Here’s why.
- Improved sleep
Many parents find that their children naturally feel sleepier in summer because the days are longer and they’re doing more strenuous physical activity.
In the winter, however, it’s not uncommon for children to come home from school and still have energy to burn off. Supplemented by balanced nutrition for teenagers, sports make a great choice to complement a healthy, active lifestyle.
One of the most profound benefits of taking part in regular physical activity is better sleep, which is even more important and colder weather to help the body grow and boost the immune system.
- Trying new things
Winter presents some interesting seasonal opportunities for athletes.
If your children used to play sports like cricket, finding physical outlets in winter looks a bit different. But something as simple as joining the local football club could keep their morale high. Imagine the excitement of your child wearing their favourite Liverpool shirt, ready to take part and make friends!
There are plenty of different sports to try throughout the colder months. Swimming makes a brilliant choice if you’re looking for a low impact sport to keep your children aerobically fit. Meanwhile, many towns have a tennis club that offers facilities for badminton, which usually takes off in winter.
- Building fitness
If your child is an experienced athlete in a particular sport at school, they will need to maintain a base level of fitness before they return to competition in the spring.
It’s important to take some time off, but after their ‘off-season’, reintroducing your children to training once or twice a week will help to keep the muscle memory and sharpen the skills ready for the season ahead.
This will boost their chances of being selected for the team. Keeping the body moving reduces the risk of injury, especially for athletes in cold weather, and further increases chances of sporting success.
- Improved mental well-being
Finally, you should never underestimate the importance of moving your body through the cold months.
Many people are negatively affected by the lack of daylight and experience heightened and symptoms of depression and anxiety. To keep the negative thoughts at bay, it’s worth encouraging your children to get involved with their favourite sport.
Whether you support them at training or start a new sport together, keeping active and taking part in team sports keeps motivation high!
