Celebrity mothers Patty Laurel and Andi Manzano recently shared photos of their kids — Theo and Olivia playing football. And not just simply playing football at home or in some field, but actually playing football in a sports class. Both kids are in their very active toddler stages. While some mothers might be hesitant in letting their toddlers engage in very physical activities, the two celebrity mothers seem to be very happy seeing their little kids enjoy the sports.
Currently, there are a number of organizations offering child or toddler sports classes such as soccer, basketball, or even swimming. Some parents opt to enroll their kids in these sports clinic for several possible reasons:
- To follow their child’s interest. These parents are encouraging their kids to experience activities or sports that interest them most.
- To give their toddlers an outlet for their immense energy. Parents of toddlers know that this stage is all about movement.
- To expose their kids early on to sports. Toddlers are good learners. Exposing them to different activities provides physical, social, and mental stimulation.
Additionally, there are a number of benefits in letting your toddlers play sports, such as:
Develop their motor skills.
It cannot be more emphasized that toddlerhood is all about movement. It is during this stage that they explore and experience the vast movements that they are capable of doing. They would always want to try different movements. Letting your kids engage in sports will greatly strengthen their motor skills.
Improve their compliance with directions.
During toddlerhood, kids are always trying to practice their independence. They would always want to brush their teeth by themselves, get their own food, or choose their own clothes. Through sports, they would learn the importance of listening to their coaches and follow instructions accordingly. Toddlers would also attempt to imitate the movements of their coaches. Toddler sports are perfect venues to improve kids’ compliance with both verbal instructions and nonverbal cues.
Encourage socialization.
In sports clinics, several kids will be playing at the same time. Kids will be exposed to their fellow toddlers, who have the same level of energy and enthusiasm. Some kids would enjoy the company of other kids, while some might just be indifferent to the presence of other kids. However, there may be instances wherein kids exhibit aggressive behavior. While some kids are not yet ready to interact with other kids, some of these initially aggressive kids will eventually learn to be easy, calm, and interact lovingly with other kids.
Source: Livestrong
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