Sports for a 7 year old boy (apart from football!)

[ByDreamyMintNewt]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could advise of the best sports for a 7 year old boy to begin? I feel like he's missed the boat a bit on football as his dad (and none of the rest of us) are into it, but I'd like him to have some kind of sport to at least give a go to. I never had the opportunity for clubs/active hobbies really as a child so I'd like him to have the opportunity.

He's a very energetic child and I think the best thing I can do for him is try to keep him active and busy! So any recommendations of things that he'll be able to start out now at beginner level, without standing out too much, and hopefully enjoy?

Thanks

My 9 year old son does taekwando and football - one team sport and one individual. I think it’s a nice balance. And he’s not particularly good at football but the club is a community club so just splits them into teams by ability. He’s in the last team and they play against other last teams and he loves it. So if your son it keen it’s certainly not too late, but also it’s a whole thing I’m a bit sorry we got involved with at all - it’s a massive amount of time per week and the games are always somewhere super inconvenient

With my limited experience of 1 boy, of you have PurpleThistle7's option above (low level football), go for it. They will have a good time and no pressure. Unfortunately, we are in mid level football and it's a nightmare, so so time consuming, constant badgering for money, and aspirations way above ability which leads to moaning about each other not being good enough. As I'm keen to encourage ANY activity other than football, in my experience cricket is lovely, and a much nicer environment, cycling a lovely way to spend time together, and definitely martial arts as others have said, because it's all weather. So much to be said for that in those wet, windy dark days.

sure it’s team sports like there are other kids around, but that’s really different from court/field sports where you need to cooperate and play strategies with other kids. I really like team sports for that.
im sure 7 isn’t too late for football. There would be some option. While 9 might be too late so if I were the op, I’d jump into it.

hockey and junior parkrun 😊😊

Rugby
Basketball
Cricket
swimming
athletics

is he interested in anything?

Swimming, tennis, judo.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've send a few enquiries to hockey, cricket, running and tennis. As I said (and was reminded of during a board game this morning) he struggles with losing so hopefully it'll be good for him to at least try something.

Hockey!

Basketball! The perfect thing to do solo or as a team.

To be honest, if you’ve got a good club nearby I’d go for football. It’s pretty universal among boys and it’ll make life easier for him if he can join in. I’d choose something else as well- athletics maybe? Does his likely secondary school have a sport or focusses on? I really wouldn’t go for rugby-once the get to the full contact age it’s too dangerous.(and I know people will come on to deny this-it’s really a bit of a cult!🤣)

A friend said his DS who was 7 at the time managed to talk him into taking him to parkrun. He's now 19 and still does parkrun