Sport: from what age?
“Just as a car is designed to move, so a child is designed to move. Limiting your movement is hampering your development, ”explains Dr Michel Binder. However, be careful not to register your little one too early for a sports class. At six years old, when he has established his psychomotor development, your child will be ready to play on the field. Indeed, generally, the practice of sport begins around the age of 7 years. But a physical activity can be practiced before, as evidenced by the fashion of “baby swimmers” and “baby sports” classes, essentially focused on bodily awakening and gentle gym from 4 years old. At 7 years old, the body diagram is in place and the child has well integrated balance, coordination, control of the gesture or even the notions of force and speed. Then between 8 and 12 years old, comes the development phase, and possibly the competition. In this age group, muscle tone develops, but the physical risk also appears.
Professional advice:
- From 2 years old: baby-sport;
- From 6 to 8 years old: the child can choose the sport of his choice. Favor symmetrical individual sports such as gymnastics, swimming, or dance;
- From 8 to 13 years old: this is the start of the competition. From 8 years old, encourage coordination sports, individual or collective: tennis, martial arts, football… It is only around 10 years old that endurance sports such as running or cycling are the most suitable. .
One character, one sport
In addition to questions of geographical proximity and financial cost, a sport is chosen above all according to the wishes of the child! His dominant character will often have an influence. It is not uncommon for the sport chosen by a child to go against the wishes of his parents. A shy and skinny toddler will rather opt for a sport where he can hide, such as fencing, or a team sport in which he can blend in with the crowd. His family would prefer to register him for judo so that he can gain self-confidence. On the contrary, a young person who needs to express himself, to be noticed, will rather seek a sport where there is spectacle, such as basketball, tennis or football. Finally, a sensitive, capricious child, happy to win but a sore loser, needing reassurance, will focus on recreational sports rather than competition.
So let your child invest in the sport he wants : motivation is the first criterion of choice. France wins the football world cup: he wants to play football. A Frenchman arrives in the semi-final of Rolland Garros: he wants to play tennis … The child is a “zapper”, let him do it. Conversely, forcing it would lead him straight to failure. Above all, do not make a little one feel guilty who does not want to play sports. Everyone has their own areas of interest! It can flourish in other activities, artistic in particular.
Indeed, some parents think of awakening their child by organizing a full schedule at the start of the school year with sports activities at least twice a week. Be careful, this can overload a very dense and tiring week, and have the opposite effect. Parents must associate “relaxation” and “leisure” with the idea of having their child practice sport …
Sport: the 4 golden rules of Dr Michel Binder
- Sport must remain a playful space, a game freely consented to;
- The execution of the gesture must always be limited by the perception of pain;
- Any disturbance in the general balance of the child due to sports practice must lead without delay to the necessary corrections and adaptations;
- Absolute contraindications to the practice of sport should be avoided. There is certainly a sport activity which by its nature, its rhythm and its intensity, is adapted to your child.