Posts filed under 'Youth Sports'
With spring here, its time to get your child ready to take off in tee ball! This exciting sport gives children experience in running, coordination, muscle strength and cooperative teamwork skills. Working with your child on basic tee ball drills will help them get ready to play a better game.
Soft Sock Ball Grounders
This fun inside drill helps a child get ready to catch grounders. Roll up one or two socks into a big softball. Have your child stand several feet away and roll the soft sock ball in a straight line toward the child. Have your child practice using the mitt by scooping up the sock ball in a clutch. Point out that the clutched mitt is like an alligator with a mouth that opens and closes. Practicing the alligator clutch over and over will encourage the habit of squeezing the mitt whenever the ball is in it.
Running the Bases
Small children can get easily confused by which way to run, especially during an exciting game. In the backyard or at a park, set up a baseball diamond with three bases and a home plate. Have your child run the bases touching on each one briefly while yelling out which base they are on. This experience helps build confidence and gives your child a directional map so they know which way to run during an actual game.
For great help on sporting drills, coaching your child’s team, selecting a bat and saving money on sporting equipment be sure to read our tee ball article at Child n’Parent.
By Debby Hoffer
April 25th, 2008
After seeing Mom run as a way to stay fit and keep her piece of mind with three small children, my daughter, age 9, decided that she would like to begin running and eventually start to race.
As we sat down and discussed what she knew about running, I realized that she did not know much. However, she noticed that when I would run, I would have fun. She said that she wanted to be healthy, and she wanted to learn to run faster so that she would do better at sports. I told her that this was a great idea and that I would love to help her get started.
The first thing that any runner needs is some good running shoes. I explained to her the value of having shoes that would properly support your feet and help keep your body in proper alignment. Second, she would need to spend a little time stretching before and after her run. Stretching helps to prevent injury. Third, she would need to start out slowly, and gradually build up her mileage and speed.
After the quick lesson, she was ready to run. She got ready, put on her iPod, and was out the door. She came home about 10 minutes later and said that she felt great and was ready to race. It was the fastest run ever, but the important part was that she had planted a seed. She found something healthy and active that could benefit her for years to come and she wanted to pursue running for fun.
As parents, we need to encourage our children to engage in healthy activities that keep them moving, and build strong lungs and a healthy heart. Running is a great way to give your child an amazing workout in a short amount of time. Running will help them gain strength and build endurance and will help them to excel in future sports.
To find races and events in your area suitable for children, visit www.active.com.
Click here to find Parenting Tips and help with Youth Sports.
By Vanessa Lee
April 21st, 2008
Springtime is here and its time for fun in the sun with inexpensive outdoor activities for kids. In the last twenty years, the number of overweight children in the United States has doubled making child obesity a serious parental concern. Outdoor games can help parents and kids stay in shape and create lasting memories in your own backyard!
Red Rover Red Rover
This old fashioned game involves running and stretching. Divide children into two teams with one team situated on either side of the backyard. Have the children stand in a line, face forward while stretching out their arms and clasping hands. One team starts the game by calling “Red Rover, Red Rover send (child’s name) right over.” The child named runs to the other team and tries to break through the clasped hands. If the child cannot break through, they return to their original team. If the child does break through, have them join hands with the opposing team. The next team then takes a turn. Play the game until each child has had a running turn.
Duck, Duck Goose
This is a fun game for small preschool children which involves running and memory skills. Have the children sit in a circle. Pick one child to be it. Have the child walk around the circle tapping each child on the head saying duck. When the child is ready to run, have them tap a child and say goose. The child tapped as the goose then gets up and runs around the circle chasing the other child until he or she finds a spot in the circle to sit down. If the goose child taps the duck child before sitting down, the duck child is out. Play the game until each child has had a turn.
The Two-Legged Relay Race
This game teaches teamwork, running and coordination skills. Divide children into two teams and have them buddy up with a partner. Have them stand with their legs side by side. Take an old rag and tie it securely around the left leg of one partner to the right leg of the other partner. Putting their arms across their shoulders, have them practice running across the yard. Set a starting point and have the first two teams race across the yard and back to the next set of buddies. Each set of buddies takes a turn tying the rag around the legs and racing across the yard. The first team to finish wins!
Find Parenting Tips for swimming and team sports at Childn’Parent and more fun games at: Rainbow/Org and Disney Family
By: Debby Hoffer
April 15th, 2008
“Mom, can we go skiing this year?” My fourteen year old daughter questioned. Inwardly I groaned as I thought about the shrinking balance in my checkbook. A Disneyland vacation had really taken its toll on the family budget. I eyed the oatmeal container and wondered if I could get my five kids to eat cheap oatmeal for a month. Wishful thinking, I knew. “No honey,” I sighed “I don’t think we will be able to do that this year.” A week or so later, after writing a ski article for www.childnparent.com, my answer changed to a maybe. I never really realized just how affordable skiing can be.
As I wrote the article, I had the wonderful opportunity to interview a manger of a major sporting goods store and a ski school director. Both had insights and useful tidbits of information on how to make skiing an affordable experience for every child and parent. Writing about real life on the Childn’ Parent website is a treat as I get to share valuable information with other budget conscious parents. So read my article about skiing safely on a budget and gear up everyone! Let’s hit the slopes!
By Debby Hoffer
November 14th, 2007
Every child can score big with soccer. A fun and exciting sport, soccer can help your child improve coordination, develop social skills and have fun doing it! Children’s soccer leagues are available through recreational and independent programs. It’s important for young children to have a ball! Most children play sports for fun, and fun is largely what it’s all about. Learning a new skill, developing friendships and improving physical fitness is what every parent wants for their child. Parents should encourage young children to have fun and stick with their chosen sport. Starting a pre-school aged child in soccer can be tricky, but well worth the effort. Most young children enjoy kicking a ball and soccer is an easy sport for a three year old to participate in.
Three Important Concepts
Listening, learning, and participating are three important concepts of learning how to play soccer. Preece comments that, “From the ages of five to six, a child will grasp rules and concepts and the goal of actually getting the soccer ball into the goal.” Six and eight year olds have the option of moving on to more competitive soccer or continuing to play for recreational fun. As a child matures, more soccer drills can be introduced as well as more strategy.
Read our full article at childnparent.com and be ready to help your child stay safe and have fun playing soccer.
August 16th, 2007
Dive into summer fun by teaching your child about water safety. Summer and water go hand in hand with families all over the country with boating, or taking that relaxing seaside vacation. Children need to understand how to be safe in and around different water situations. Whatever water fun is in your family’s summer plans, read this helpful article at childnparent.com.
Find many more articles with great parenting tips at our website.
By: Debby Hoffer
July 13th, 2007
Preparing your child to play football can pay big dividends in the long run. Football is a rough and tumble sport in which children, if not properly supervised, trained, and equipped, can sustain serious injury. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons has classified football as one of the four top activities among children most likely to cause injury. Because it is a contact sport, football, (not including flag football) is not recommended for very young children. Older children between the ages of 8 and 14 who express an interest in the sport will more likely enjoy a football experience. A smart parent can begin at home by physically preparing a child to play football.
For our full article on preparing your child to play football, more youth sports and great parenting tips go to our Child N Parent website.
By: Debby Hoffer
June 21st, 2007
Make a big splash with the kids this summer by enrolling them in swimming lessons through a National Swimming Program! The American Red Cross is a quality organization with a swimming program that is available at many local recreational centers throughout the country. This six level aquatic program is designed so that kids of all ages and abilities can participate, get fit and have fun learning how to swim. This children’s swimming program will give your child swimming skills and teach water safety. Consistency is a big part of the American Red Cross Program as each level builds upon the next. Kids learn and practice until they advance to the next level where previously learned skills are reviewed and new skills are introduced.
Read our full article to help your child with swimming this summer and get great parenting tips at childnparent.com
By Debby Hoffer
May 20th, 2007
