Why should children play sports?

In Brazil, one in three children is overweight. This high rate is not only due to the fact that today the little ones are fed more with industrialized products than with natural ingredients, but also because they do not practice sports.

Because they have to dedicate time to work, personal life and the task of being a mother, women let their children spend hours in front of the computer or video game. A worrying consequence of this situation is the sedentary lifestyle and, therefore, the Child obesity.

Children who take a sedentary lifestyle are at greater risk of developing heart problems, diabetes or other chronic diseases. For this reason, more than being attentive to food, mothers should encourage their children to practice sports from an early age.

No matter what the modality, sports activity in childhood is essential for healthy growth and still offers benefits to the body and mind. Check out these benefits:

• Tightening of the musculature;
• Favoring psychomotor development;
• Promotion of social integration;
• Creating healthy habits;

And speaking of modalities, care must be taken when choosing the sport that the child will practice. For example, even babies can dedicate themselves to physical activities through swimming, while sports that involve rules and competition should be left to older children, who are mature enough to understand that they can lose or win.

Discover the kids’ favorite activities and find out which one is most recommended for your child:

1. Swimming: Due to underwater movements, swimming can improve breathing capacity, increase balance, strength and motor coordination, in addition to developing psychomotor activities. This activity helps prevent and recover from asthma, bronchitis and orthopedic problems.

The practice is recommended from 6 months of age.

2. Dancing: Doing synchronized ballet steps or practicing any other type of dance is a great way to exercise your body. Dancing develops motor coordination, agility, lightness, flexibility, balance and strength, in addition to offering notions of rhythm, time and space.

Children from 3 years old can move their body in rehearsed choreographies.

3. Martial Arts: Karate, Judo and Tae-Kwon-Do develop the child’s discipline and character, traits that can even be transferred to studies. In addition, these sports encourage balance, flexibility and agility.

Sports recommended for children aged 4 years and over.

4. Soccer, handball, volleyball and basketball: As they are played in teams, these sports develop the ability to work in groups and interact with other children. The child himself can choose one of these modalities.

Through recreational activities, it is possible to start playing soccer, handball, volleyball and basketball from the age of 3. However, in order to start competitions and sports rules, children must be at least 5 years old.

Pediatrician Julia Borges explains that “behind the interest in maintaining a healthy routine, children should see the fun nature of practicing sports during childhood”.