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It is recommended for children to have at least 1 hour of physical activity per day for the following reasons ¹:

1. Sports benefits on children’s physical health are: Stronger muscles, bones & joints, Stronger heart, Controlled body fat, Decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, Improved fitness.
2. Sports also influences psychological health: Improvement of well-being, self -esteem, relief of stress, depression and anxiety.
3. Sport increases the likelihood of children staying active, allowing them to sleep better and keeps them mentally sharp.
4. Recent studies have found that increased physical activity levels directly relate to school performance, particularly in the areas of math, reading and retention of information.
5. Sports also helps improve social skills: Teamwork, Fair play, Communication, Respect for others, Ability to follow rules, Independence, Leadership, being exposed to challenges.
6. Sports are fun

Some kids are sports agnostic. They lack the desire to engage in organized athletics. There’s nothing wrong with this resistance, but it can put parents in a difficult situation.

There is a huge variety of sports for kids to try; parents should be willing to consider everything from Karate to dance or archery. ² That means that parents may have to broaden their definition of sports. Extracurricular team sports like football, baseball, may feel like the obvious go-to but your child might not like these and he goes for less obvious sports. Children are not always going to fall in love with a sport of the first exposure. Alternatively, they may even fall out of love with a sport during the fourth practice. That means that encouraging a kid into sports will likely be an ongoing process. That can be wildly frustrating to parents, but flexibility and openness is the key. Parents need to remember that participation and fun are about their kid’s health and development, not about the parent’s ego. Parents who remain supportive have the best chance of making sports a positive experience for their children. ²

If the kid is having a good time, if it’s fun, they’re going to want to continue doing it, and the more they do it the more they will gain the benefits.

So, the parent should: ³

1. Encourage incidental exercise, such as backyard games, walking and bike riding.
2. Try a range of pursuits; the child might not like footy or soccer, but he may love hiking or water skiing.
3. Don’t force the child to play a sport he dislikes. It won’t help.
4. Don’t shame him or her or make him/her feel bad about not being sporty, especially in front of his peers. Acknowledge the child’s strengths and support him in the things he loves instead.
5. Re-suggest a sport later (gently and without pressure) – he may now enjoy it.

Dr. Mohamad Kamal Harb

Pediatrician

^{1The Impact of Sport on the Development of Children | Carleton Athletics}

^{2https://www.fatherly.com/parents-should-force-kids-to-play-sports/}

^{3https://www.understandingboys.com.au/what-to-do-if-your-son-doesnt-like_sport/}