Keeping Kids Safe In Sport

Having your kid play sports is a proud parent moment. It gives them something to feel a part of and enjoy, and you get the excitement of watching them have the time of their lives on the field. It’s great to encourage your kid to enjoy sport, and is a fantastic way of helping them stay fit and healthy.

But despite all the positive elements of playing sport, there are some negatives you need to consider, and that’s accidents and injury. It’s important to protect the health and safety of your child while playing sport to make sure they can always enjoy it.

Need some pointers on keeping kids safe in sport? Take a look at some of the following tips.

Teach them the rules

One of the simplest ways to keep kids safe whilst playing sport is to teach them the proper rules. While a coach can help explain the rules of a game, it’s good to reinforce them yourself at home. Quiz them about the rules to help them sink in. This will not only help protect them from injury on the field, but they’ll also be better players if they understand all of the rules.

Don’t forget, if your child does something in a game which isn’t allowed or is potentially harmful behavior – call them up on it. It’s important that they learn how to play safely – not just for themselves, but for others too. Nobody wants to be sent off during a game, and this can help prevent them from making costly mistakes.

Get them the right protective clothing

Protective clothing and equipment is very important for your child. While they might not want to wear it, you need to be able to explain to them why it’s necessary. When it comes to sports and exercise safety for children, you need to get them equipment such as helmets, mouth guards, gloves and protection for arms and legs. Remember that kids grow, and you’ll have to upgrade some items regularly to make sure your child is always sufficiently protected.

Sportswear makes an excellent birthday or Christmas gift, so you could include a few safety items the next time you’re stuck for gift ideas.

Make sure their environment is safe

As well as making sure your child is protected, you need to make sure that the environment they’re playing in is also safe. It’s good for parents to be involved in the organization and running of the team, so it’s important to do your bit to keep areas free from trash, hazards and to keep a watchful eye during play too.

Many sports teams have little to no budget, so if you can step in alongside other parents to help maintain a safe space, then do it. Your contribution could help to buy safety equipment and structural equipment such as baseball l screens. The safer you can make the environment, the more confident you can feel that your kids are protected.

Sports teams need volunteers to make them work, so make sure you put your hand up and get the chance to keep a close eye on your child at the same time.

Recognize when enough is enough

While it can feel like kids have much more energy and stamina than adults, it’s not always the case. Kids can tire easily, and it’s important to recognize when they might need to come off the field. Make sure your child takes plenty of breaks and calls it a day when enough is enough. Over time, their stamina will improve, allowing them to play for longer. Make sure they get plenty of rest between games, you don’t want to risk them becoming injured or have their schoolwork suffer because they’re overtired.

If your child needs a bit of help to become fitter, there are some things you can do. There are easy ways to encourage your kids to get active so that they can enjoy themselves even more when they’re playing their favorite sport. Exercising as a family can be a fun way for you all to get fitter, helping you to set a good example to your kids.

Keep an eye on their health and safety

It’s not easy to watch your kids all the time, but it’s important to keep an eye on their health and safety and intervene if something isn’t right. If your child gets injured whilst playing or they’re showing signs of being sick, take them off the field. It’s useful to arm yourself with first-aid tips for minor child injuries so that you can treat them quickly, as well as establish whether they need medical attention.

When you escort your child to a game, you should always make sure you bring a first aid kit with you – you never know when you might need it.

Teach them the importance of warming up and cooling down

Many injuries from sport and exercise are caused by improper warm-up and cool-down routines. It’s important to get into good habits when exercising, and you can teach the same habits to your child to make sure they exercise safely too.

All forms of exercise should start with a warmup and cool-down. This helps prepare the muscles and reduces the risk of an injury. Some of the best warm-up exercises for kids happen to be ones that are fun and can include dancing, jumping jacks and arm circles. Join in with your kid and you could burn some extra calories too!

Prevent dehydration

It’s easy to get dehydrated when playing sports, especially during warmer weather. Making sure your kid stays hydrated while playing sports will help prevent heatstroke and other problems that can be caused by dehydration. To prevent dehydration, make sure your child drinks plenty of water and stays cool. You can make sure they wear clothing that is loose or helps wick away sweat and moisture to keep them comfortable while playing.

Keep an eye on their mental health

As well as your child’s physical health, you need to consider their mental health when playing sport. There can be all sorts of reasons why a sport might affect their mental health. Some kids face unnecessary pressure from parents, teachers, coaches and other kids who all want to win. It’s essential to teach your kids that sport isn’t about winning and that it should be the experience that matters the most. Keep an eye out for any changes in behavior that indicate that something is wrong, and talk to them regularly about how they’re feeling.

If for any reason your child is being bullied on the sports field, then make sure you step in to resolve the issue so they can feel happy and safe once more.

Sports are a great way for kids to learn various skills. From working as a team to growing in confidence, showing leadership and more, there are all kinds of positive reasons to get your kids into sport. Exercise is very important for people of all ages, so if you can find a way to make it fun for your kids, it won’t feel like a chore or something that they must do.

Encourage your kids’ interest in sport by taking part yourself. There are all kinds of activities you can do together, so why not check out a guys’ activity weekend and start planning something special and active with your kids?