Improving Children’s Cognitive Skills with Sports
- Updated on 21 Mar 2020
- Child Learning
Children have a natural attraction for sporting activities. With a lot of energy to burn and fun elements involved, many children take to sports because it gives them a feeling of belonging, a sense of achievement, and a sense of competitiveness.
Children are keen learners and they thrive when they feel a sense of accomplishment and success through cognitive skills. One of the most effective ways of improving children’s success is to learn sports. It has a huge impact on students, parents, as well as teachers.
Earlier many parents were often worried that their children were spending disproportionately more time on sports than on education and now the situation has changed. Today’s parents worry that children are spending more time on TV, web series, mobiles, and other devices and not being active, much less on a sports field.
While it has been known for years that there is a connection between physical activities and mental development, newer research points out to greater benefits to children’s physical and mental wellbeing due to sporting activities.
According to guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), children should spend at least an hour a day doing some form of physical activity like walking, climbing stairs, cycling, etc.
Playing outdoor sports regularly helps build immunity and insulates children from several infections. Sports teach children to learn good behaviors as individuals and as part of the group. It helps them to work with others, and foster a sense of camaraderie.
Children are easily distracted and can be disruptive in class and at home. Teachers are often dealing with several students at the same time which makes their job difficult. Sports make students stay calm and composed.
Most children find it difficult to develop the cognitive skills necessary to achieve academic and professional success because of their inability to concentrate or focus due to their playful nature. Learning sports helps them stay focused on whatever they do.
With proper sports training, cognitive skills can be improved in all children, including those with issues like ADHD.
Sports help teachers and students learn techniques that will help bring order to their lives and remove chaos in the household. Sports help children to manage their behaviors, improve their memory, and excel in the classroom. It also replaces frustration with self-confidence and increases joy in learning.
Several studies have shown a correlation between sports and improved cognitive abilities. Other studies have proven that regular physical activity boosts a person’s intellectual capacities. While it’s difficult to pinpoint one specific sport that is best suited to making children smarter, it is generally believed that any strenuous physical activity—including sports— will produce enough beneficial effects for the brain and body if it is done regularly.
There is enough scientific evidence to prove that physical activities and sports, in general, do wonders for children’s cognitive abilities, regardless of when and how they want to do. Although it’s difficult to mention one sport that’s beneficial for children, it is generally believed that team sports are better. You should always learn about new team sports, whenever possible.
