There are many children who simply would prefer not to be involved in team sports, and as a parent, it is a good idea to support your children in their decision not to participate. However, like any good parent, you want your children to be healthy and fit. Fortunately, there are many ways in which you can promote physical fitness without team sports.

First and foremost, the single best way to encourage children from spending too much time engaging in sedentary activities, as the result of not being involved in team sports, is to limit their use of television, video games, and other electronic gadgetry. The easiest way to do this is to provide your children with a number of the following alternative activities that promote physical health and well-being:

- Outdoor playtime.

There is something about the great outdoors that makes kids want to run and play. The more time children spend outside, the more likely they will be to find an outdoor activity that will keep them physically fit. Some great outdoor ideas for children playing either solo or in a group are:

Hide and Seek

Tag

Frisbee

Walking/Hiking

Playground equipment

Hopscotch

Swimming

Hula Hoop

Jump roping

Bicycle riding

Skateboarding

Roller-blading

Ice skating

Sledding

Trampoline

Running

Backyard, non-competitive, small group sports: Basketball, football, soccer, kickball, hockey, baseball, badminton, volley ball, tennis.

- Indoor activities

Many of the following indoor activities might be practiced in a group, but they are far less competitive than other types of team sports. Some children prefer these active pastimes because they allow them to socialize, yet the focus is on individual achievement as opposed to an organized team mentality.

Yoga

Rock wall climbing

Gymnastics/Tumbling

Aerobics

Dance

Martial Arts

It is important to keep in mind a wide variety of physical fitness ideas that will best suit your children and their individual interests. The key is that you help them find an activity, or several activities, that they enjoy and derive pleasure from, and encourage them to engage in them as often as possible. Also, it is essential that you, as a parent, set a good example for a healthy, physically active lifestyle. When you praise the benefits and advantages of keeping fit, your children will automatically want to follow in your footsteps. Finally, be sure to participate fully in whichever active pastimes your children choose. This will promote family bonding, and provide children with an overall feeling of well-being.

It is entirely possible for children to be fit and active without relying on team sports. Some children do not enjoy the competitive nature of these types of sports, and instead of being a positive influence in their lives, they become a source of frustration and unhappiness. Therefore, it is essential that parents do not criticize or pressure a child to participate in a team sport if he or she is not comfortable with the idea. Rather, do all you can to ensure that your children stay active in any way that works for them, and which brings about the highest degree of happiness.

Learn more about this author, Mary Ann Rudy.
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