It's amazing to watch your kids pick up new skills. It seems like one day your baby is rolling over and the next, you're helping her learn to walk. After that, it isn't long at all before they are running – and that's because kids are constantly learning. "The central nervous system is still rapidly changing when you're young and so the brain adapts to new tasks more easily. While it is important to remember you can learn at any age, the rate of learning is faster when you are younger," says Foundation-funded research and expert in neurological rehabilitation, Dr. William McIlroy. "Fortunately learning leads to changes in the central nervous system that persist. For example, you can remember the basics of riding a bike − even if you have not ridden one for many years."
Teaching your child basic playing skills such as running, jumping, throwing and catching can help them cement these actions into their mind and help them become active adults later on. (See resources below for more information.) Foundation spokesperson Dr. Mike Sharratt, co-chair in producing Canada's Physical Activities Guide for Children and Youth says it's an important part of childhood development. "If they learn to run and jump and throw and be agile now, they can have the opportunity to do well in team sports or other activities like running or tennis later on. Plus, it's fun for kids to play the games that teach them how."
The brain game
There's a lot going on inside your child's brain when they learn a new skill. "The brain is creating new connections between neurons and reinforcing connections between neurons that are important to the skill," Dr. McIlroy says. "The central nervous system is also very good at focusing on the small details." He says this means it can help a child learn how to react and predict based on his situation. So it can help him learn to stop himself from falling and how to predict the movement of a ball so he can catch it instead of letting it hit him.
Fostering love of the game
Teaching your kids the fun of the game now is also important in shaping their decisions about being active when they are adults. "One benefit of teaching sports skills is encouraging life-long learning and the other is creating long-term physical activity," Dr. Sharratt says. "I've seen people who are enjoying physical activity in their 80s and 90s. I'm suspecting that the joy these older folks have was generated when they were youngsters."
The best way to start early, he says, is by getting out and being active with your child. "Kids really look up to their parents. That's why it is better that a parent would take the kids out and throw a ball or play catch with them than telling the kid to go out and do it alone," he says. "I still play golf and do a number of activities with my sons who are now adults."
Helping less athletic kids
For some kids, learning these skills may be more difficult, but the younger they are and the more they practice, the better the chances that they'll be able to master these skills. Dr. McIlroy says that genetics can predispose some kids to be better at sports (or math or science or languages) than others. But, he adds that mastering a skill (like throwing or catching) is strongly determined by the time and quality of the practice and the motivation of the individual to learn. "Skill is determined by at what age a person started learning and the quality of their practice. Most of my friends who are better golfers picked up the sport when they were young and their nervous system was adaptable. I have friends who learned to be excellent golfers late in life −but starting early is an advantage."
Resources
There are many resources that can help you with teaching your kids the basics for sports. One good starting point is PlaySport, a website created by the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA ), Brock University and Physical and Health Education Canada.
The site allows you to search for activities based on the equipment you have, the skills you want to teach, the complexity of the game or the space you have available. "Playing games is a great way for parents to bond with their kids," says Dr. Sharratt. "Plus, you might find kids pick up the skills quicker with a little on-on-one time with their favourite teacher – you."
Read more about PlaySport. http://www.playsport.net/en/
Use the Foundation's resources called PlaySkills- Heart Smart Family Activities. It offers age-appropriate ways to teach children from kindergarten to Grade 3. Specifically, there are instructions for showing your child how to jump, run, catch and throw a ball, both under- and overhanded – skills that are not necessarily taught in school. Even if your child is older, the instructions may still apply.
Posted: July 2009
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