In today’s world where everyone’s eyes are always glued to the screen while they relax on the couches, you as parents should make an effort to send your kids outside to play. We even went a step further and halted our Spectrum Silver package on all the devices that our kids used. You can also reduce their screen time and encourage them to spend more time playing outdoors. The advantages are immense!
Benefits of Playing Sports (Outdoors)
Boosts Self-Esteem
Playing sports outdoors can impact your child’s confidence and self-esteem to a great extent. Because the children who actively participate in sports get praise and encouragement from not just their coaches but from their parents as well. This acts as a major self-esteem booster for them.
Develop Social Skills
Apart from boosting their self-esteem, sports also help children to develop good social skills. Just come to think of it yourself. What good would a child’s social skills be when he is sitting at home. In addition, the only interaction he has is with online friends. Such activities do not help in developing social skills.
However, when children go out to play, they meet different people. Moreover, not all other children that your child will meet will have the same mindset as your child. This will also develop a sense of tolerance in your kid. Hence, improving his social skills.
Academic Success
Researches prove that children, who take part in sports and other physical activities, perform well academically as well. Because they can apply, the same dedication that they do in playing sports to their studies as well.
Lifelong Health
This should not come as a surprise when I say that children who play outdoor sports also stay healthy for a long period. Especially the lifetime sports like swimming and golf are very beneficial for your child’s health. Not only does playing a sport help to ensure that a child lives a healthy life but the healthy lifestyle that they start adopting with it, helps too. Children who participate in sports make healthy eating habits.
Having discussed all the positives about playing sports, now let us have a look at some of the sports that your kids should be playing.
Sports that Teens Can Enjoy
Slap Wrestling
Slap wrestling can be a fun game for teenagers if they do not take it to the level that it hurts the other bad. Here is how to play it:
- Two people stand facing each other. They should leave about a shoulder span between them with their feet put together.
- The aim is to make the other person move his feet by slapping his hand. Touching your opponent anywhere, else other than the hands will lead to your disqualification.
Note: You can try pushing your opponent’s hands and then pulling yours back as a good tactic to win.
45 Seconds
This is a rather fun activity that players from different age groups can play. All you have to do is split your group into pairs. Every pair is then a team. The group decides which player will go first. This pair will have the job of kicking the balls. The group does the following:
- A person pitches the ball at the pair. One person only. The selected person rolls the ball towards the pair.
- When one person from the pair kicks the ball, the game begins.
- The goal of the pair is to protect themselves from the ball. It should not touch them. While the rest of the group tries to get them out from the game.
Chinese Dodgeball
You will have to play this game in a very spacious area. The goal of this game is to singlehandedly get everyone out while saving yourself. It is suggested to play this game with at least ten people. More the people, more fun will be the game.
Three Ball Soccer
This is soccer with a twist. Instead of a single ball, you play this game with three balls. You should try to get these balls in different colors. This game would be fun playing if you divide the teams based on gender. Then the girls’ team gets one colored ball, the boys’ the other and the third ball is co-ed.
Make sure the players know the color of their team’s ball. Because if a player touches the wrong ball, your team’s doomed.
Blatterball
This super fun game is a cross between dodgeball and soccer. The game aims to score goals. If the ball touches any player below or on his knees, he’s out. You have to hit the ball with your hands but you are not allowed to pick it up.
Don’t all these games sound fun? These worked great for my teens – they started taking a break from Spectrum Internet deals for some time and got outdoors! It took a little effort, but ultimately it became a regular activity.
