Values children learn through sport

Playing sport and the health benefits associated with it are widely acknowledged by parents and early leaning educators. However, it’s not just the health benefits your child will benefit from playing sport. Sport also holds the key in developing your child’s personality and learning important values that will last a lifetime.

Respect & Integrity – Winning and losing are a vital part of any sport and a reality of life. It’s important you child learns to accept both graciously. The highs and lows of taking part in sport allow an understanding of respect and integrity to develop, as they become young adults.

Teamwork and commitment – Working as a team and committing to sport nurtures these lifelong values. Individual pursuits such as golf and tennis further reinforce the need for strong mental commitment. Commitment to team sports works on lifelong traits such as camaraderie, cooperation and self-discipline. These skills are essential to their future an building successful relationships with friends and colleagues.

It’s without a doubt everybody knows how important it is to keep your child active. Whether that’s through structured or unstructured activity, keeping active and playing sport develops key gross motor skills, social skills and cognitive learning.

Honesty – Now, we can’t guarantee playing sport will equal the perfect child… however sportsmanship can be a substantial building block in developing the right attitude in a growing child. Through sport, children learn to acknowledge the difference between right and wrong. The desire to win that is instilled in children at an early age is also tempered by professional coaching with an understanding of honesty and fairness.

Adherence to rules – Rules and laws dictate much of how we live our lives, the ability to understand and adhere to them begins in childhood. Sport provides the opportunity for children to learn to play within the confines of set guidelines. By playing within the rules of the game, children are actively tested both mentally and physically whilst having fun.

By involving your child in sport at an early age you set in motion the development of skills that will create good human beings and stay with them for life.