The Benefits of Your Child Playing Outdoor Sports

It should come as no surprise that doctors have long advocated that getting your child outside is important. Time outside serves as a benefit for the development of a healthy body and mind. Here are five reasons playing outdoor sports is great for your children.

Playing Outdoor Sports Is Good For Your Child's Physical Health

Getting your children moving early plays a vital role in their overall health. By encouraging their involvement in outdoor sports, you are setting in motion actions that will benefit them long term. Outdoor sports improve overall health. These are some of the many reasons playing outdoors plays a significant role in our Valley Trails camp structure.

Playing Outdoor Sports Improves Sleep

Children who spend time playing outdoor sports simply sleep better. Physical activity, fresh air, and sunlight from outdoor physical activity combine for a naturally relaxed and healthy state. Fresh air cleanses their lungs, sunlight provides mood-enhancing Vitamin D, and cardiovascular activity lowers heart rates and blood pressure. Children who regularly take part in outdoor sports are often healthier children.

Kids Learn The Value Of Teamwork, Discipline And Striving Toward A Common Goal

Kids who grew up regularly taking part in sports, whether football, soccer, volleyball, softball, baseball or other sports, learn skills that others often don't. They learn to work together, that sometimes it takes a group to achieve a goal, that teams cannot succeed without individual discipline and the willingness to sacrifice for the group. Kids who take part in outdoor sports carry these lessons with them into adult life, to their significant benefit.

Children Learn Stress Management And To Take Risks

Parents naturally want to protect their children from, well, everything, but kids cannot live in a cocoon. Life is full of risk and with risk comes stress. An essential part of growing up is learning how to leave your comfort zone, take risks, and manage the stress that moderate risk-taking creates. Playing outdoors teaches kids how to take a chance and how to deal with the success or failure that comes with it, whether from the swing of a bat, a dropped pass, or a penalty kick.

Children Learn The Value Of Healthy Competition

Success in life requires competition. Outdoor sports teach children the value of healthy competition, that success requires tenacity and not giving up, fighting through adversity, and overcoming long odds. But healthy competition also includes fair play, empathy, and a recognition that it's not always the most talented who succeed but those who work the hardest. Playing outdoors teaches these valuable life lessons. Summer camps provide kids a break from school life and are a great way to introduce youngsters to the joys of playing outdoors. Consider sending your child to a camp this summer and get them active. You'll be glad you did.