Using Online Games to Get Kids Interested in Sports!

One of the things most parents would like is to get their children interested in sports. Playing sports comes with a whole lot of benefits - sports keep kids fit, and can help build their social skills and confidence levels. However, it is not always easy to get kids excited about sports. Each child may have his own as-yet-undiscovered preference, and there might be some initial anxiety to overcome. The lack of space to play and the right equipment could also deter kids from getting started on sports.

There are many ways to ease kids into sports. These days, with kids being more adept at technology than ever before, mobile and online games are the way to go. Some children may not be ready physically to tackle a sport like football. In such cases, a game like Heroes & Rivals is a safer bet. With this app, kids can enjoy mini games, create their own team, and understand the game without physically playing the game.

“Getting Crazy…” by blake is licensed under CC BY 2.0

An excellent way to understand the types of games that excite your child is by exposing them to a variety of sports. These could be team sports or individual sports. It may not always be possible to have access to diverse sports. This is yet another instance where online games can be the right tool to introduce kids to a variety of sports.

Parents can join in and talk about sports, listening to the child to understand what interests them in a game. Online games can be used to explain the fundamentals of sports. This way, you can narrow down the list of sports your child wants to explore. You can then encourage your child to play because sports, after all is said and done, are about being physically active.

Things can get rough on the field if there is excessive competitiveness. Online games can help here by building your child’s confidence. It allows them to have fun without the stress of performing weighing them down. As parents we know that the best way to get a child interested in anything – be it food or homework – is to make the activities fun. The same goes for sports.

“Cornhole” by blake is licensed under CC BY 2.0

While online games can have their advantages when you are trying to get kids to explore the sports, they cannot replace the actual experience or offer the numerous benefits of sports.

Once you have them hooked, it is important to get kids out to the field for a ball game. What an online game cannot do is strengthen the child, and improve their co-ordination, flexibility and balance. These are benefits one can gain only when they are out playing the sport. If your child refuses to budge from the computer or mobile app, it will have an adverse effect on their health. A sedentary lifestyle can make them obese and can weaken their arm and grip strength. Remember, therefore, that while mobile and online games can be a great introduction to many kinds of sports and ca get kids excited about playing them, they also need to graduate to playing these sports physically.

By encouraging your child to balance the time between playing sports online and out on the field, you can help them enjoy the benefits of technology and good old sports.