All kids need to get exercise. Many kids love sports and get all the exercise they need playing them. Some kids, however, just aren’t into the sorts of sports which are taught in most schools. They may think they hate sports. Actually, they probably just hate some kinds of sports. With that in mind, here are three sports that might please kids who think they hate sports.
Golf
Golf is basically a strategy game combined with a good walk and some gentle weight training. If your kid plays regularly it will usually be enough to keep them fairly fit. If they get really serious, they will probably choose to take other forms of exercise to help develop the stamina needed for top-level golf.
When your kid is just getting started, it’s better to invest in lessons than equipment. For example, you could look at Steve Eisenberg Golf to help them get into the swing of things. If your kid starts to take golf seriously, then you can get them their own kit. For younger children, you might want to look at adjustable clubs which can be lengthened as they grow.
Golf is a particularly good choice for kids who get bored easily. It gives them plenty of mental stimulation to go along with the physical exercise.
Skating
There are two basic styles of skating, quad skating, and inline/blade skating. Unless your kid is really keen on quads, it’s probably best to start with inlines/blades. The skills needed for these are practically identical. This means that once your kid has grasped one of them, they’ll have options for indoors and outdoors. Quads are a bit different and only used outdoors.
Skating itself is an activity rather than a game or sport. That said, it’s the base skill for all kinds of sports including speed skating, skate hockey, and figure skating/skate-dancing. Your kid can choose to skate on their own (safely) or join a skate group. Either way, they’ll be part of the skating community. This is active both in the real world and online.
Trampolining
Trampolining addresses a lot of the practical challenges facing modern parents. Kids can not only do it at home, they can do it indoors or outdoors. If they do it indoors, they won’t disturb anyone because the trampoline’s surface absorbs the noise of the jumps.
Even top-quality trampolines are pretty affordable and they are fairly easy to store. They do have a wide surface, but they’re also flat so they can generally be slipped into unused gaps. You can safely put your kid on an adult trampoline and not have to worry about them growing out of it. In fact, kids of different ages and sizes can share the same trampoline.
Jumping on a trampoline is both great cardio and great fun. If your kid wants to ramp it up, there are plenty of (free) online workouts. You can also invest in paid workouts, classes, and clubs if your kid really takes an interest in it. Alternatively, your kid can put on their music or a video (with headphones if necessary) and just bounce away any stress they’re feeling.
