It feels like there’s a pretty limited palette out there when it comes to the available sports for our kids. Soccer, football, baseball, and swimming lessons seem to be the most common team and individual sports out there. While they do build strength and endurance, encourage cardiovascular fitness, and have a fun element, they’re not for everyone. Here are four alternative sports for your kids to explore.
Water Polo
Swimming is great exercise, and every kid needs at least a few lessons to ensure they can save themselves from drowning. But swimming as a sport can be a bit draining for parents and their children. Early morning practices before school can affect both your sleep schedules, and while it’s exciting to see your child compete, it can take hours before it’s their turn at a tournament. Water polo, on the other hand, is healthy and challenging while also being quick, competitive, and fun. Water polo matches stick to strict schedules and are often over in a half hour or so. It teaches teamwork and helps kids improve their mental and physical dexterity.
Badminton
Here’s one more of our four alternative sports for your kids to explore. Tennis has plenty of great physical activity and excitement for kids. In fact, tennis has more benefits for kids than drawbacks. But just in case tennis is too high-intensity and tiring for your smaller kids, investigate badminton. You can keep it close to home by purchasing a basic kit with a net, two rackets, and a shuttlecock, or see if the local park district offers a program. Badminton improves hand-eye coordination and motor skills, is low-impact while still demanding a level of physical effort, and encourages teamwork and fair play.
Fencing
Martial arts are fun, but a bit played out for some kids and parents. Try fencing if you have a kid who needs an outlet for their aggression. A fencing program might be difficult to find in most communities, but if you have one, sign the kids up. Protective equipment and stringent rules ensure they’re safe. Otherwise, more physical kids who love the idea of combat will throw themselves into it with passion while learning how to restrain themselves. Fencing isn’t inexpensive if you need to buy the actual equipment, but kids who love it may pursue it for years.
Ultimate Frisbee
Need a sport that’s exciting and chilled out at the same time? Frisbees offer a selection of ways to play that require physical activity without getting too physical. Ultimate frisbee is like a mixture of football, soccer, basketball, and a few other sports besides. The frisbee serves as the ball, and players try to advance down the field by throwing it to one another. There’s no tackling involved, so it’s great for kids who aren’t interested in physical contact or getting hurt. And the phrase “a game the whole family can enjoy” has never been truer!