As parents, we’re eager to enroll our kids in sports, clubs, and activities, but we often wonder what they are getting out of these time-consuming programs. You might be surprised by the many benefits of something as popular, fun, and simple as playing baseball!
The Impact of Sports on Child Development
- Improve Teamwork Skills – Even if your child isn’t the best on the team, they’ll most likely have a great experience and grow as a person and an athlete. Sports provide exceptional developmental rewards for children. Each time the child gets up at bat, it’s about being a team player. They learn that working together, being a part of the whole, and cheering each other on is the most important part.
- Build Self-Confidence & Pride – Your child might excel at one aspect of the game and struggle at another. It might even take a few times to actually hit the ball that’s pitched. The encouragement to keep trying and the gradual improvement of skills leads to pride in achievement and builds self-confidence.
- Increase Strength & Motor Skills – Baseball, in particular, is especially helpful in furthering gross motor skills. It increases the strength of core muscles, leg muscles, and the upper body, resulting in improved balance and control. They become more successful at not only baseball but other sports as well. They learn how to hold and balance the bat and the timing of when to swing it. The various skills incorporate motor planning, with the head telling the body what to do and when to do it, which takes determination and practice.
- Build Patience & Focus – Mastering skills also requires patience. Kids learn to wait their turn and pay attention, especially when it comes to waiting for the perfect pitch. It takes focus to know when to swing, throw, catch, or run.
- Practice Math & Physics – Math and physics are also a big part of the game of baseball. Even sitting on the bench, players are keeping score, checking who is on base, and tallying the number of outs. Tracking runs and batting averages encourages academic skills. Everything about the pitch of the ball, the swing of the bat, and direction upon impact involve physics.
Sign your child up for baseball this season & enjoy the benefits!
Overall, baseball promotes a healthy lifestyle and positive environment, gives parents an opportunity to get involved with their children, enhances social skills, and nurtures self-esteem.
