Get your kids out of the house and into sport. Here’s my list of top kid sports in Perth to choose from.
FYI: I wrote the below article for Ventura Homes, the premier home builder in Perth. As it’s such a great, resourceful article, I’m re-sharing it below:
Get your kids out of the house and back into sport. Top Kid Sports in Perth.
I’m part of Generation Y – the first generation to grow up with the internet, but the last generation whose baby photos weren’t taken on phones. Let that sink in for a moment. Technology has evolved to become more convenient and adaptable to us, but with it comes distractions and procrastination. If you’re worried about your child spending too much time on your smart phone or tablet, maybe it’s time to introduce them to a team sport.
Kids have to be active every day. Physical activity stimulates growth and leads to improved physical, social and emotional health, with exercise known to relieve stress, depression and anxiety. Not only that, but a fit kid is more likely to be well-rested and mentally sharp, therefore improving their skills at school with reading, arithmetic and memorization. As sport is social, it will contribute to a child’s development both psychologically and socially, as it can affect their self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Think about it – a way children gain acceptance by their peers is to be good at activities valued by other children, as it is within sport that peer status and peer acceptance is often established and developed.
Being good at sport is a strong social asset, with young boys in particular using sports and games to measure themselves against friends. Children who are competent at sports are more easily accepted by children their own age, and are more likely to be team captains and group leaders. At the end of the day, all this helps make it a little more easier for your kid to form a strong sense of self when finding their place in the world.
Sport can also help you bond with your kids. Image via National Post
Top 10 reasons why getting your kids into sport is beneficial:
1. Healthy Lifestyle – They put down technology. Sport can be fun, so exercise won’t be a chore. They’ll have a reduced risk of obesity, increased cariovascular fitness, healthy growth of bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons, improved coordination and balance, improved personal skills and learn naturally about nutrition.
2. Teamwork – Being in a team allows kids to work things out with others, think about someone other than themselves, and be part of something bigger than themselves. It encourages them to mature and work with individuals with differences to obtain that one goal – to win. This learning curve can be transferred into other aspects of life as they mature, such as team project university assignments.
3. Competitive Spirit – Being exposed to various levels of skill and talent from others will gives kids the opportunity to imagine what they can achieve in life. Pushing their limits to improve in sport creates desire to expect more from themselves.
4. Social Development – Sport is a great way to build friendships and form new connections which can yield a strong support system for future opportunities and life-long bonds.
5. Positive Mind development – Sport builds belief in one’s own abilities, which leads to being more confident in other aspects of their everyday life. Exercise also has a positive impact on brain development, as sport utilizes strategic thinking and math (such as keeping score and stats), kids will improve in academic units at school.
6. Goal Setting – Achieving and setting goals are a big part of sports and kids soon realise that discipline, practice and perservance helps them attain skills to store, to win or to finish strong.
7. Respect Others – Having a sports coach or teacher to obey is a good life lesson to prepare a child to stay out of trouble by following authority. They also learn to respect players on opposing teams as well as adult referees, coaches and parents at every games.
8. Humble Winners & Good Losers – Being a humble winner who does not gloat and belittle the loser is hugely important in developing character later on in life. Everyone loses time to time, but it how we personally deal with loss without blaming others, giving up, quitting or pouting that strengthens ourselves.
9. Self Management – Sport gives kids a disciplined structure to follow, and when put in a routine with other chores of theirs to do – they are less inclined to whinge and carry on. Sport will help make your kids more responsible with their own time.
10. Sportsmanship – Through sport, kids learn to respect opponents, follow rules and to play fair.
Yes, there is always a risk that sport can become an obsessive idol for some kids and their parents, with risk of it becoming all-consuming and identity-forming which is certainly unhealthy. But sports can be an opportunity for a series of life lessons that can help develop a strong, positive character within a child. Use those car rides to and from training to communicate and bond.
With all this being said, I’ve searched the internet and found for you the best kid sports in Perth, Western Australia. Take a look below.
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ARCHERY
Image via Experience Archery
Archery can be done by able bodied & disabled kids. It is a physically demanding sport, improving upper strength for greater control. It teaches focus, patience & importance of safety with equipment. (Image Credit)
To search for Archery clubs and locations in Western Australia, click here.
ATHLETICS
Image via Weekend Notes
‘Little Athletics’ can include competitive running, jumping, throwing & walking. It teaches kids perseverance, determination, self-discipline in training & integrity.
Head to Little Athletics Western Australia for all the information.
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL – AUSKICK
Image via WJFC
Great for both girls & girls, they learn motor skills, fitness conditioning, health & nutrition, how to play fair & parents get the opportunity to engage with other families at community games.
To find your local football club, visit PLAY AFL WA, and specify if you’re after auskick, junior, senior or female upon entering your postcode.
BADMINTON
Image via Badminton WA
Badminton is an extensive sport, requiring technical skills & endurance. Instead of a tennis ball, it’s a shuttle with unique aerodynamic properties that gets easily affected by wind – hence developing spatial perception & visual acuteness in kids, as well as teaching them about gravity source.
Check out the official Badminton WA website to get the details.
BASKETBALL
Image via Fox Sports Pulse
Basketball is a popular & casual way to exercise in a competitive team sport & practicing at home with the dad. It’s a fast action indoor sport that can be played all year round
Head to Basketball WA to find your local association.
BMX / MOTOCROSS RACING
Image via Bike Glam
BMX riding is a exhilarating sport that teaches kids to push themselves to learn new, creative tricks & progress their level of riding. It also is great for relationship building.
BMX Sports Western Australia has all the information about how to get started and the club locations.
CRICKET
Image via Coaching Cricket Excellence
Cricket improves speed, flexibility & reflexes, encouraging kids to think strategically & to make decision-making skills.
Visit the WACA Junior Cricket page to find your local club.
DANCING
[TAP, BALLET, JAZZ, ACROBATS, BALLROOM DANCING, TANGO, SALSA & MORE]
Image via Centre Stage Dance
Great for both boys and girls, dancing has countless benefits from strong bones, reducing stress & weight management to helping form friendships.
With so many different types of dance schools out there (with some including a multitude of styles), your best bet is to head onto Google, type in your suburb and the dance style, so to find the dance school most closest to you.
EQUESTRIAN
Image via Wexford Park
Horse riding develops balance & improves motor function. It also instills a sense of responsibility and compassion through controlling & looking after an animal larger than themselves.
Head to the official Equestrian Western Australia website to find out more about Ready Set Trot which introduces young people to the world of horses.
FIGURE SKATING
Image via ABC
Figure skating (ice skating) is easy on the joints because it’s low impact, improving the balance & coordination of your child while increasing their cardiovascular fitness.
The Western Australian Ice Skating Association has all the information you need.
GOLF
Image via Palmer Resort
Golf helps kids learn patience & good manners. It improves their concentration & teaches them practice pays off.
Find out about Golf WA’s junior golf programmes here.
GYMNASTICS
Image via Kidzplex
Gymnastics is great for both girls and boys as it’s challenging. It teaching kids how hard work, practice and dedication pays off.
Head to the official Gymnastics Western Australiawebssite to find a Gymnastics Club closest to you.
HOCKEY
Image via Whitfords HC Facebook
Hockey is a fast team sport that improves mental agility, cardiovascular fitness and builds character through the highs and lows of winning and loosing.
Head to the official Hockey WA website for info and then head to Hookin2Hockey to find a club near you.
MARTIAL ARTS
(KARATE, TAE KWAN DU, MUAY THAI, KUNG FU)
Image via Sevier Martial Arts
Martial arts teaches kids not only self-defense, but self-discipline, respect to authority & themselves, as well as how to resolve conflict non-violently.
With so many different types of martial arts out there, head onto Google, type in your suburb and the martial arts style you’re after so to find classes closest to you.
NETBALL
Image via HDNA
Netball teaches kids about team cooperation, boosts hand-to-eye coordination & is great for relationship-building.
Have a read of Netball WA’s junior policy and then head to NetSetGo to find a kids club near you.
ROCKCLIMBING
Image via Climbfit
Indoor rockclimbing is a challenging physical activity that is like a puzzle to get to top. It teaches kids patience & planning, as well as goal setting.
There are a variety of indoor rockclimbing centres throughout Perth and most of them cater to kids. To get you started, visit Climb Fit, City Summit, Joondalup Climbing Centre & The Hangout.
RUGBY
Image via Rugby
Rugby instills self-discipline into kids, as well as gives them an outlet for natural aggression.
For more information on junior rugby, head to Western Force website to find affiliate clubs near you.
SOCCER (FOOTBALL)
Image via Brazillian Soccer Schools
Soccer develops agility, speed & stamina while also teaching kids the importance of teamwork.
Check out Football West’s junior information page for further information on finding a club near you.
SWIMMING
Image via Triad Smarty Pants
Swimming is an excellent cardiovascular workout promoting heart & lung health while preventing childhood obesity.
Check out the Swimming WA website, then head to Go Swim to find a swimming club near you.
TENNIS
Image via On Target Tennis
Tennis helps kids develop great hand-eye coordination, balance, flexibility & leg strength.
Find out all the information on the Tennis West official website about player development and clubs near you.
TRIATHLON
Images via TRIWA
A triathlon teaches kids about endurance, discipline & staying determined to finish strong.
Head to HBF Stadium website for information on junior triathlon training which operates Terms 1 & 4, with the official training course at Tadpoles Triathlon.
Weet-Bix Kids do a TRYathlon event, get information about that here. Also check out the TRYStars page by Department of Sport and Recreation which goes into further detail about introducing kids to the sport of triathlon.
VOLLEYBALL
Image via Tea and Snippets
Volleyball WA has information on beach volleyball for juniors here as well as helping you find your nearest club. There is also the option of Indoor Volleyball. Go onto Google, type indoor volleyball and your suburb to find one closest to you.
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This article was originally published on Ventura Homes‘ blog site, Live Better by Tahnee.
