How to help a sporty 4 year old.. which clubs??

[Catalwaysasleep]

Hi,

My nearly 4 year old boy seems generally athletic and energetic - hes also tall. We think he might get into basketball, swimming or some kind of gymnastics based dance. However, whilst we are healthy, we exercise we've never been sporty. In our local area here's what we have. Is it important he starts a class soon or waits for what we think best/he seems to like?

In our local area...

• martial arts starts from 5 (he wants to do this but we have to wait 4 months)
• swimming- he said he won't go in the pool without mummy
• basketball is from age 7 so way off
• football is possible. But we're not a football family- we don't have the kits, watch it on TV. Plus I worry about them heading the ball. But is football just how anyone sporty starts out?
• Drama, singing, dancing - as he's very talkative and confident?
• gymnastics- starts at 5 but it seems to be all girls and he's v tall so how long can he actually be good at it for?

Appreciate any advice on what to prioritise and whether to wait or try something now.

Swimming he needs to learn. Because it's a life skill. Plus independence is important.

Gymnastics is a great base for movement skills long term, developing core strength and balance. Probably healthier if you don't aim for long term competition.

I personally don't like football, largely because of the prevailing attitude to referees and because it gets too competitive too young.

Athletics if there is a youth programme is again a great foundation. They're often less obvious than the leisure centre based sports but do exist.

Tennis is also well structured for younger kids being very agility and game based in youth focused clubs. Again often more obscure. My DD started tennis because it was the first thing to open after the pandemic!

Swimming is a necessity for safety. reason.

For the rest, you’re not trying to make the new Olympic athlete.

Let him try different things. Let him hose what he enjoys.
My dcs did some gymnastic when little but never took to it. So it stopped.
They did swimming, one loved it and ended up competing fir a while (until he discovered another sport he loves and still does now at Uni).
They had a go at tennis through school (local club went around tte various primary schools) and it stuck prob because a few of their friends did it too 😁😁

It doesn’t have to be fixed and unchangeable.
I do think that encouraging them to be active is good. And that sport/exercise isn’t just for those who aren’t healthy.

Swimming is an important skill. Gymnastics can be good, depends on the child. I agree try different things to see what he likes. But at this age I'd recommend football as a great way to get little kids into sport. It's nothing like an actual match. At our club they start out with very few rules on a small field. The 4-5 year old, have a skills session then a little mini 4 on 4 game and they just throw on coloured bibs over their clothes. Club provides the kit, you pay a fee. If you do it I'd recommend Velcro football boots so you're not having to re tie them multiple times. Our club doesn't get competitive till under 10s and then you can chose not to grade and just do it for fun and fitness. I realise every club might not offer this option, whether they do or not it doesn't have to be a sport for life and offers some great skills to under 10s.

What makes you think he's "sporty" and not just a normal 4yo with bags of energy?

If you put him in swimming lessons you'll probably discover he'll be fine without mum after 2-3 weeks!

They won't be heading the ball at football.

Just try one thing at a time.

Kids don't need organised sports. Just get him out running, climbing, cycling, scooting, playing football at the park, playgrounds, skateparks etc. If he shows an interest in anything in particular then think about a club, but he's still a baby and doesn't need the organised sports.

You could be describing my ds at 4, now 11, and super sporty. Personally I was just really active with him, tho we did weekly swim classes together. We were out and about a lot, cycling, scooting, climbing in playgrounds. We'd play tennis, football and basketball on the street/garden. Plenty of equipment is good, different balls etc. and lots of fun, I wasnt teaching him at all. He now competes at a high level for his age at athletics, tennis and football and is a very strong swimmer and squash player. He loves it.

What I would say is the choices and the formal activities when they came were driven completely by him..if he didn't want to or dropped something along the way that was absolutely fine and it means his interest comes from himself completely, and so does his motivation and drive. Enjoy him!

Honestly as a sporty boy he will end up playing football, at school or in the park, so I don’t see any mileage trying to avoid it. And please don’t write it off because you’re not a football family, it’s a sport not a cult!

In terms of clubs/lessons, at this age I would go with whatever he seems keen on and fits into your schedule. Plus as pp says a bunch of playground/park visits, tree climbing, scooter/bike etc

Swimming is vital.

I’m an advocate for football. It’s great exercise and usually well structured classes are easily accessible. Also a good way to meet friends outside of school, and a path way to a team sport. You say you don’t have the kit but I’m guessing you don’t have kit for martial arts either! Oh, and absolutely no heading of the ball is encouraged or coached. Coaches are not allowed to even applaud it from the sidelines. Some leagues ban it altogether and give a drop ball if it happens.

I would do swimming, gymnastics and football, each on a recreational level, until he is 7-8. I'd also maybe look at adding park run or athletics in a couple of years. I'd see this as a 'multiskills' diet: swimming as a basis for future water sports, gymnastics for general strength and co-ordination and football for ball skills.

Then when he is 7-8, look at what he enjoys and what is going well and pick up specific sports from there.

Agree with pp wrt football, it has be a fantastic thing for my son and his football team are his best friends. He is also lucky to have an incredible coaching team with brilliant attitudes regarding sportsmanship, team work, discipline etc.

You're overthinking this a bit! He'll probably try multiple different hobbies through his childhood, some will stick and some won't. If he wants to start a club then pick whichever one works best for his/your schedule and give it a go. Do NOT limit his opportunity for enjoyment because you don't like football or because he's too tall to be good for long or any other mad reason!

Everyone needs to learn to swim though so I'd get organised with swimming lessons asap.

Swimming because it’s an essential life skill, absolutely not negotiable that he does it. He’ll soon get over you not going in when he sees the other kids.

Then I’d go with football- good exercise, encourages team work, relatively accessible and in some areas it’s like social currency. I don’t they do much (any?) heading in the youth game at all now, it’s definitely not a concern for preschoolers.

Then I’d probably leave it there for now. If he expresses an interest in doing xyz in the future then explore it then.

My 4 year old does:

Swimming since he was born.
Football since he turned 4.
Gymnastics since he turned 3.
Kick boxing since he turned 4.

My daughter who's 7 has something everyday of the week because she likes to do everything and anything. Just try off with one thing first and let him settle in before trying another.

My son will stop Gymnastics in anothery year as my aim was to improve his co-ordination,l and core strength. And he seems to enjoy it. He's the only boy in his class but that makes no difference to him.

He is a normal 4 year old. I'm not saying he's an athletic genius or the next olympic athleae anything. And lots of normal 4 year old are potentially sporty.

He's just good at archery, took to cycling well - we cycle 2-5 miles a day, and he's taught himself to do a flip on bars at the park. So it's worth exploring.

I'm honestly not bothered if he is or isn't. I'm just looking for clubs for him to try and work this out. As my husband and I were rubbish at all sports. But I did dancing, walked for miles etc we could use advice.

Start with swimming, he may take a few sessions to get into it. Swimming teachers are used to reluctant children and know how to gently encourage them in. My son was a bit of a nightmare for his swimming teachers, refusing to get in or participate, but by going consistently and giving loads of positive praise he eventually got over it and now climbs in the pool with no hesitation.

If your son wants to do the martial arts, just wait the 4 months and sign him up. You're better off doing something he's excited about. It probably good to have a gap between starting swimming and something else; you don't want him feeling overwhelmed.

Swimming is an essential life skill.
Martial Arts - start him as soon as the place becomes available as a black belt grading gives you extra UCAS points.

Football is very popular in the school playground. My sons never had actual lessons but learned through playing with other boys. They still don't play in a team but good enough to play casually with others.

I think swimming needs a more structured approach at first and is important from a life skills point of view. Swimming instructors will be used to coaxing the reluctant.

I would start the martial arts classes when he is 5. That's one he asked for specifically and motivation is important.

I have a 4yo, this is what we do:

• Swimming (started at 3yo)
• Rugby (started rugby tots at 2.5yo; not very keen because it’s a very loud and busy atmosphere, it’s at the town’s rugby club and all ages descend on the pitches on Sunday morning. Coaches are LOUD. I think he’ll ask to stop soon)
• Football (started two months ago, he specifically asked to go)

We put a basketball hoop above the garage and shoot hoops from time to time.

When he’s five, I’ll have him give tennis and piano a try.

Map out what activities you have in the area and starting ages, and slowly give each a try. He’ll stick with what he likes.

Suggest buying him a swing ball lots of fun and helps with coordination. Out a ball with holes in on a string and hung up somewhere then he can hit it.

My 4 year old DGS does

Swimming
Tennis
Snowboarding
Football

Wow, snowboarding, that's cool!!

I'm assuming he's not at school yet. Bear in mind that reception is very tiring, especially at first and schools often offer after school clubs too.

Thanks. I was thinking of getting a basketball hoop as he seems to like throwing above kicking. But that might change when he's older and sees older kids playing football.

Yes he's started at school. He isn't usually tired from it, if anything more energy because they font exercise much do they. We've been going to the park 2 hours after whilst he does gymnastics on bars, etc. Or another day we cycled 1.5 miles to a friends and same back, he was bouncing on their bed etc.. got home.. still bouncing.

But... he does get fed up of instructions. If I did too many classes with instructions I think he'd get grumpy.

What about junior parkrun? They are all over the country on Sundays, at 9am. It's free. It's open to children aged 4 to 14.

If he's in England I'd say football. And swimming would be non negotiable for me, its a life skill best learned early.