How Soccer Can Benefit Your Child

While the modern world has undoubtedly brought us many conveniences, making our lives easier and more interconnected, there have also been some drawbacks. Most notably, there was a rise in screen time amongst children, which resulted in a decline in physical activity. One study carried out in this area found that children with electronic devices were eight times more likely to have low physical activity.

Rising obesity levels in children have also been linked to the rapid decline in physical activity among children globally, especially over the last 30 years. In fact, aerobic fitness in children is 30% lower than that of their parents at the same age.

As a parent, providing your child with a fun form of exercise that they enjoy can help them increase their energy levels and improve their overall health and wellbeing.  In this article, we will explore some of the game-changing benefits that soccer can provide your child both on and off the field.

Physical Fitness

Soccer is a great form of exercise which will get your child’s heart racing and their legs working. Running around on the soccer pitch, kicking balls and jumping up to head them into a goal are just some of the activities your child will get to participate in when playing soccer. 

Along with strengthening their cardiovascular system, these activities will help to develop their muscles, bones and tendons as well as honing motor skills such as agility, balance and overall coordination. You can discover more about  youth soccer in Lafayette, CA by visiting this site.

Cognitive Development

Your child can also develop their cognitive abilities through playing soccer. Whether it’s concentrating on keeping their eyes on the soccer ball, making decisions under pressure, or anticipating their teammates’ or opponents’ moves, soccer can help your child enhance their strategic thinking abilities as well as their spatial awareness. These abilities will not only serve them well on a soccer pitch but can also help them perform better in their studies as well as other areas of their life.

Healthy Competition

Unlike solo sports, which do not require working with other people, soccer will teach your child important life skills, such as striving to do their best each time while respecting the rules of the game and their opponents.

As with any competitive sport, soccer will also teach your child how to be gracious in defeat and celebrate the success of others, helping them develop a healthy and positive attitude toward competition which can serve them well throughout their life.

Confidence Boost

Starting a new activity can be nerve-wracking at any age, particularly as a child. By interacting with other children of a similar age and working together as a team towards a common goal, soccer can be a great activity to help build confidence in your child. The camaraderie and sportsmanship they will learn while playing this team sport can also help them develop strong social skills and make new friends.

Learning new skills and techniques, such as scoring goals, dribbling, and penalty saves, can also instill a healthy sense of accomplishment in your child, further boosting their confidence and self-esteem.

These are just some of the myriad benefits your child can discover from taking up ‘the beautiful game.’