With so many benefits coming from getting your child involved in sports, it’s something that we all should really encourage and make every effort to ensure they find one that they enjoy. But sometimes this can be easier said than done.  So, you might need to be more proactive in motivating your child when it comes to playing sport. Today we thought we’d help by giving you some simple tips on how to spark their motivation.

1. Let Them Choose A Sport They Like

I know it can be tempting to try get your child to follow in your footsteps and play the sports that you love. But this is about them not you. Sure, there’s no harm in encouraging kids into sports that you also enjoy but ultimately the decision must be theirs. By allowing them to choose a sport that appeals to their interests they will be much more likely to stay committed long term.

2. Watch Games With Your Child

Watching sports with your child is not only a great way to spend some quality time together, but it also helps them to develop positive role models. Watching professionals play sports both live and on TV is a great way to get them excited about playing sport themselves. But it’s not just the professionals you should take your child to watch. Going to local games and even junior matches with kids, who are just a few years older than they are, will allow your them to see others having fun playing sports and makes it a much more achievable goal.

3. Learn About The Sport Together

If your child has shown an interest in a certain sport, or you are encouraging them towards a sport that you like or played as a youngster, you can inspire their interest by helping them get more familiar with the sport. You can read about the sport or watch documentaries together. As they learn more about the history, rules, players and passion of the game they’ll be more likely to want to play themselves.

4. Play With Your Child

This is often one of the best ways to motivate your child to take up a sport. Get out in the backyard or go down the park and play just for fun. Whilst you’re playing you can start to teach some specific skills or rules. However, the most important thing is that they enjoy themselves and it is not a serious activity that they have to be perfect at. Try to involve other kids from your family or the local neighborhood where possible.

5. Applaud Effort Not Results

It’s always important not to get caught up in the competition of children’s sports. Yes, it’s nice to win but the most important thing is that everyone has fun. Praising your child’s effort instead of results will help avoid your child putting too much pressure on themselves to perform. This can quickly take the fun out of any sport. Also, if you want to offer some kind of incentive for playing sport this should not be based on results and try to avoid focusing on material rewards where possible.

6. Experiment With Different Sports

It’s great to play lots of different sports as a child. Learning different skills, making different friends and keeping things interesting will form a great foundation for an active lifestyle. One of the best ways to do this is by enrolling your child in an Australian Sports Camp coaching program. These programs run for 3-days, feature special guest coaching clinics with professional athletes and help you kids learn or improve their skills no matter what level they’re at. It’s also a great way to meet new friends from all over the city and to try a different sport without having to buy all the equipment or register for a full season. Find The Next 3-day sports camps coming soon in Australia.

7. Find Out What Sports Their Friends Are Playing

This is an easy one. Your kid is going to be much more motivated to play the same sports as their friends from school or the neighbourhood. So, talk to both your kids and other parents to find out what sports their kids are getting involved in, so you can take your child as well.

8. Don’t Put Too Much Pressure On Them

If it feels forced, then your child will resist. So, let them go at their own pace. If they want a break from training, or to take a week off, it’s not the end of the world.  Yes, it’s important to teach commitment and responsibility but sport at a young age is about fun.  Conversely, forcing them to play when they really don’t want to will only make things worse. So, give your child plenty of free time and do activities that don’t involve sports. Or let them explore their other interest outside of sports.

9. Get The Whole Family Involved

Making the weekend sports day a whole family outing is a great way to get everyone involved and show your child lots of support. Even outside of organised sport you can organise a casual game down the beach or in the local park. Having a cheap set of equipment on hand for any special occasions makes it easy to organise a game and help get the rest of the family active as well. Your attitudes towards sport and physical activity will help mould your child’s view towards sport and exercise, so do your best to lead by example and give your child every opportunity to enjoy the many benefits of playing junior sports.

Ready For An Australian Sports Camp

Australian Sports Camps offers three day sports camps for kids aged 6 – 16 for a wide range of popular Australian sports. If you want to minimise the costs involved for your child to try a sport then our sports camps can be a perfect way to try before you buy. The best way for kids to try lots of different sports is through School Holiday Sports Camps, where they can spend 3-days learning each sport in a fun, organised program, without having to make a commitment to a whole season. Book a camp today.