There is no doubt that seeing a child playing or playing sports makes his parents happy and themselves too. But why is it essential for children to do it? Not only because they find it fun, but because it is necessary for their mental, physical and social development.
Through play, children not only have fun, they also learn. They learn to share because to play you need a partner. They learn to obey the rules of the game, they learn to know the abilities and limits of their own body. In addition to an extraordinary sensory development to know different textures, colors and smells.
Additionally, entering a more formal terrain, sports and games are a children’s right. As Unicef points out in article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child : “they will recognize the child’s right to rest and recreation, to play and recreational activities of his age and to freely participate in cultural life and Arts”.
Apart from being a valuable time in which you can share with your family, get to know the children more and without the desire to do the homework; Playing with children or motivating them to play sports has more benefits.
Benefits of Sports in Children:
- They contribute significant elements to their social skills such as competing, following rules, learning to win and lose, even recognizing dangers.
- Through sport or play, children have a better physical and mental development, improve skills such as holding, running, catching, balance.
- The games stimulate creativity and imagination.
- Through games or sports, children express their feelings, their desires and it is easier for parents to identify some kind of fear.
- Having since childhood, the awareness of leading a healthy life and the advantages of sports.
- They instill values such as fair play, discipline and respect.
- Playing or playing a sport significantly benefits cardiovascular functions, while contributing to the correct maturation of the musculoskeletal system.
- Exercise together with a healthy diet helps prevent the onset of childhood obesity (80% of obese adults were also obese children).
