Are sports extracurricular activities – After the holiday break and the start of the course, not only does the adaptation to the school schedule begin, but our children added to the hours of those extracurricular activities that lengthen their day?
On more than one occasion, these activities raise doubts, not only when choosing which one will be the best but whether or not it is appropriate to sign up for them. The practice of extracurricular activities brings many benefits, but several aspects must be assessed before starting to fill our children’s agenda.
When choosing an extracurricular sporting activity,
the child’s age and their tastes or preferences mus be be considered.
In general, activities involving movement highly recommended, but you have to know which is the most appropriate so that the benefits are genuinely positive. Not all sports and activities are recommended for everyone, nor are all preferences the same.
Let’s see, next, the benefits of physical activities as extracurricular.
Physical benefits of sports activities
- Theyare involved in psychomotor development. In the early stages of a product, the little ones must have different stimuli. Extracurricular activities in the early stages help in this natural progression.
- They strengthen bones and muscles. All those activities with a specific impact (jumping, running…) will directly intervene in making the bones grow more robust. The muscles will acquire a more excellent tone, especially if a specific force component is practiced in the exercise.
- They improve cardiovascular endurance. Regularity is essential for the heart and blood vessels to adapt to the demands of sports in the long term. The practice of sport prevents the appearance of possible pathologies of a cardiovascular nature.
- They prevent overweight and obesity. Being overweight in childhood is one of the great scourges of our society. Although staying active is not the only factor preventing overweight, it is an essential part of healthy habits that will help combat it. The sedentary lifestyle, produced by the hours of study and the hours in front of the television or the console, needs a boost, and extracurricular sports activities are.
Psychological benefits of sports activities
- They teach sharing.
- Sport transmits values, among them is that of sharing.
- They teach us to manage emotions.
- It is not easy to digest a defeat, but neither is victory, strange as it may seem. Nobody likes to lose, especially in cases where the winner does not practice fair play and does not recognize the loser as a great adversary. The winner must also know how to manage that moment. We know children are usually transparent in their emotions, but respect for others must always exist.
- They improve school performance
- . Many studies relate the practice of sports to better academic performance. Children who dedicate part of their time to active activities get to shape their brains and improve their learning.
When and how to start with sports as an extracurricular activity?
Between 5 and 8 years
In this first stage, the exercise must be seen as a game. On most occasions, the activities focus on getting the little ones to move their bodies. Psychomotricity.
It is essential; it is usually the base at this stage. It is about trying not to focus on a single sport but working globally. There is no technique or modernization, but what is wanted is for them to learn to move with a certain ease, to use their entire body: both the lower and upper extremities. This way, they can get to know each other and assess which disciplines they like the most and do best. In addition, they gain in security and improve their development. A child will end up developing equally, but the exercise practice will help him and bring him many benefits, not only physical. At this age, sharing and beginning to be aware that they are not the only ones and that there are other children to play with and respect them is also essential.
Dance, gymnastics or sports activities, in which they begin to practice team sports (basketball, football, handball…), are the most recommended activities for this age.
Between 9 and 12 years old
While in the previous stage, the objective was movement, sports require greater physical and mental maturity. Team sports where there are rules and the competition begins to rear its head are usually the kings of extracurricular activities. The body is already much more evolved and allows sports to be more demanding in terms of technique, concentration and duration. Strength and endurance, an essential part of these sports, help the physical development of the child who is in pre-adolescence.
From the age of 12
The improvement of the disciplines learned and the entry into the entire competition are usually components that go hand in hand with the sport practiced.
However, all these recommendations will not make sense if the child is not consulted when choosing which activity will fill their afternoons or weekends. Fun is not just another adjective, but must be an essential part and parents, except in cases where there is some contraindication, must involve the protagonist in the choice. If it is not done like this, failure and abandonment are closer than one thinks.
We want the best for them: sharing the choice is probably the best decision. However, as adults, we must avoid excessive load since the exhaustion of endless days can undermine everyone’s good intentions.
