4 Benefits Children Get From Playing Sports in their Backyard
If only all parents know the benefits children get from playing sports in their backyard, then perhaps many of them would have no second thoughts to build a sports play area to encourage the practice at home. After all, converting a backyard into a play area doesn’t have to be complicated and expensive.
Children who participate in sports get benefits that go beyond improving their physical health. Playing sports has a lot of benefits to their mental, social, cognitive, and even emotional aspects. While this has been limited to schoolyards and fields for a long time, recent times have shown that we can get most of the same benefits from home.
Fortunately for parents, you don’t have to go overly detailed. You don’t need to be an architect and build a full-blown stadium in your backyard. Put something they find interesting in the backyard and they would surely be making the most of the space and its benefits.
Easy Access to Physical Exercise
Many parents can convert part of their backyards into a playing field with just basic tools and some DIY tricks. Spacious lawns can easily be made into a soccer field. For example, you can start by cutting a few PCV plastic pipes and build your own soccer goal.
When you think about it, the benefits you’ll reap from having a sports facility or equipment at home is an ongoing list.
First, as parents, you want to ensure your kids are safe. They are safer at home, especially now that kids aren’t much allowed to go outside.
With easy access to a sports area, your children can have as much creative play as they like. This physical play equates to exercise which works out muscle health, different body parts function, mind and body coordination, and a lot more. It also helps maintain a healthy weight.
The fact that they can play within the property also gives them the flexibility to enjoy playing whenever their free time allows them. No more waiting for a ride to the soccer field.
Learn New Skills and Improve
Playing sports will give a child many opportunities to learn new skills and work on those skills as desired. Regardless of whether your child plays sports to become an athlete or simply plays for leisure, it is easier to apply in real practice what they have learned from a friend or watched online when they are steps away from the play area.
Having every chance to put both old and new skills into practice just as desired allows a child to have a better mastery of every skill, work on weaknesses, and even create their own strategies.
Develop Social Skills and Build Strong Relationships
There are ways playing sports helps improve social skills. Shy children can develop the confidence to communicate comfortably with others as they engage in sports. Playing with others also teaches kids to analyze things and respond based on their interpretation of details.
Out of establishing good social skills, the child builds good relationships with other people. When a child invites friends over, they play, interact, and have fun together in an environment in which they feel comfortable and confident. Children also learn to become a good host to their friends.
Parents who play with their children also develop a stronger bond, which benefits the child in so many ways. Being connected with parents reduces the chances of violent behavior and substance abuse. Also, the relationship with parents affects the self-esteem of children. Parents who are always involved usually develop more confident children.
Avoid Unhealthy Habits
Most children today are obsessed with technology that they spend long hours using their phone or computer. They get a lot from these devices but sadly, that also includes unhealthy information.
Playing sports is one way to divert their attention from using their cellphones and computers too much. Aside from gadgets, creative sports play is also an effective way to discourage violent behavior and substance abuse.
Conclusion
Children who play sports, especially those who have access to it in their backyard, usually are more physically fit, have improved self-esteem, and socialize better with people. Playing sports also has a good impact on a child’s behavior, way of thinking, and relationship with other people.
