Whether you’re a soccer mum, dance mum or footy dad, having your children playing a sport outside of school is great for their health and you’re winning at parenting! According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics only six out of 10 children aged between five and 14 years participate in a sport outside of school.
An Australian Health Survey conducted found that 25 per cent of Australian children and teenagers, aged five to 17 years, are overweight or obese, indicating that we need to foster a more sports-minded culture that encourages children to be physically active.
People who are active dramatically reduce their risk of many diseases, including heart disease and osteoporosis. Regular exercise is also known to reduce the risk of emotional problems such as anxiety and depression. Habits are established early in life and evidence suggests that physically active children are more likely to mature into physically active adults.
Gladstone News have rounded up some information on some ‘Sign On’ days coming up in our region to get your kids off their Ipads and into a sport, being active, learning teamwork skills and making friends for life.
Benefits of sport for children
- reduced risk of obesity
- increased cardiovascular fitness
- healthy growth of bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons
- improved coordination and balance
- a greater ability to physically relax and, therefore, avoid the complications of chronic muscular tension (such as headache or back ache)
- improved sleep
- mental health benefits, such as greater confidence
- improved social skills
- improved personal skills, including cooperation and leadership.
