Youth Sports at the Greater Philadelphia YMCA are an excellent way to get your kids active. When kids participate in youth sports programs, they build the foundational skills necessary to develop as middle and high school student athletes. Playing sports keeps them active, along with many other advantages.
Benefits of Playing Sports for Children
While sports for children help kids stay active, they also provide many developmental, social and health advantages. Kids can benefit from playing sports in the following ways.
1. Learn About Teamwork
Kids can learn about team building and working together accomplishing goals while playing sports. Whether they play soccer, basketball or baseball, each member works together to overcome differences, achieve team goals and have fun.
Sports that focus more on individual activity, like tennis and archery, teach kids how to cheer on their peers and encourage one another. They also learn to balance each other's strengths and weaknesses while playing.
2. Make New Friends
Meeting and working with new groups of people through youth sports programs helps children make new friends and develop social skills. Kids from local areas join to play on the same team, and build friendships that last beyond the season.
3. Increase Health
Most sports involve running around and training to prepare for game days. Kids in youth sports programming participate in physical activity regularly. Staying active encourages them to lead healthier lifestyles as they grow.
4. Learn How to Face and Overcome Challenges
Sports-related challenges can extend to other areas, such as school, home and extracurriculars. From feeling nervous and overwhelmed to being disappointed about an outcome, kids will experience many challenges while playing sports. They will learn that they are strong enough to overcome the issues while working together through adverse times.
The lessons, trials, and errors that kids experience while playing youth sports prepare them for middle and high school. Challenging experiences build resilience that will stick with them into adulthood.
5. Become Confident
Overcoming challenges and working together can help build confidence and improve self-esteem. Kids get a feeling of accomplishment when they win, succeed or progress at their sport, which helps them feel better and more confident about their abilities.
Find a Sports Program Today
When looking for youth sports in the Greater Philadelphia Region, consider the Greater Philadelphia YMCA. We provide many youth sports programs to help children get familiar with different types of sports. Your child will have fun playing basketball, soccer and more while learning about core values of responsibility, honesty, caring and respect.
Our coaches and instructors ensure children have an outstanding sports experience during their programs. Get your child involved in sports by finding a youth sports program today at the Greater Philadelphia YMCA.