2023-04-19 20:36:11
Soccer is not only a fun sport for kids, but it also has benefits for their emotional and physical health. Know what they are.
Social networks were in turmoil for several hours after a confusion occurred between the son of one of the best players in the world, Lionel Messi, and a little Dutchman who went viral for his ability with the ball. This gives us the kick to ask ourselves what are the benefits of soccer in children.
The video was shared on Instagram thousands of times. In it you can see a boy similar to Mateo, Messi’s son, clearly dominating the ball. However, shortly after it was clarified that the real protagonist is Aminan 8-year-old boy from the Netherlands.
The situation is ideal to remember the importance of sport in development. In addition to improving your physical condition and balance, Soccer can help children display different social and emotional skills.
Benefits of soccer in children
Sports practice is an essential activity in child development, as it provides them with numerous benefits that allow them to strengthen their body and mind. In fact, a study published by the journal Health Qual Life Outcomes, suggests that there is a close relationship between health-related quality of life and sports practice in children.
Find out below what are the most notorious benefits of soccer in the development of children.
1. More physical abilities
Among the most important physical skills that children develop while playing soccer are coordination, balance, and agility. coordination involves the ability to perform controlled and precise movements with different parts of the body at the same time.
Balance refers to the ability to hold the body in a stable position, while moving or at rest. Agility, for its part, is related to the ability to move quickly and flexibly in different directions.
Besides, soccer promotes visual-spatial awareness and eye-foot coordination, which affects motor skills and the perception of the space that surrounds them. As you can see, soccer is not only a fun sport for children, but it can also be a valuable tool for their growth.
It is important that children practice physical activities that help them develop these skillsas detailed Frontiers in Pediatrics in this article. Science has verified that there are positive results in these aspects when learning soccer as a child.
2. More social and emotional skills
In addition to physical skills, children need to develop social and emotional skills for their growth and well-being. Among the most important that you can acquire are the following:
- Teamwork.
- Perseverance.
- Resilience.
This is the focus of this study published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. There, the evidence of sports physical activities in children and their relationship with the development of healthy prosocial behavior is reported. It can be defined as the ability to act voluntarily and positively, showing receptiveness, helpfulness, and cooperation in relationships with others.
3. Improves cognitive abilities
According to an article published in Frontiers in Psychology, soccer is a sport that stimulates quick decision making and problem solving in high pressure situations. This skill is crucial for children, as it teaches them how to overcome challenges and deal with stressful situations.
4. Strengthens bone density
The practice of soccer for the little ones can have important benefits in their bone health. According to a study published in the journal Journal of Bone and Mineral ResearchIn 2016, children who participated in high-impact, weight-bearing sports such as soccer had higher bone density compared to those who did not.
This characteristic is essential for healthy growth. Childhood and adolescence are characterized by the constant remodeling of bone tissue.
5. Keeps your general health in good condition
Being a sport that requires constant movement, children who practice it can improve their cardiovascular and respiratory condition. This, in turn, helps reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases in the future.
Besides, soccer can help maintain a healthy weight. This is explained by an article published by the magazine Nutrients Journalin which the body composition of children who played soccer was evaluated.
It was concluded that “Soccer practice is positively associated with increases in lean body mass and decreases in fat mass”. Specifically, this translates into more muscle and less fat tissue.
Sport also improves the quality of sleep. Children need adequate rest for optimal growth and development.
Tips to promote the practice of soccer in children and take advantage of its benefits
There is no doubt that playing soccer in children can be beneficial for their physical and emotional health, as well as for their social development. Here are some tips to encourage your practice:
- Provide them with a safe and supervised environment to play.
- Recognize the importance of regular practice and constant effort.
- Motivate them by example and active participation in their games and competitions.
- Help them develop skills of teamwork and cooperation.
- Teach them to respect the rules, as well as their teammates and rivals.
- Motivate them to celebrate their achievements and progressnot just focusing on results.
By following these tips, parents can encourage the practice of this sport in their children and contribute to their personal development. Always, the priority will be that they have fun with football and do not feel that it is a pressure.
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All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography for this article was deemed reliable and of scholarly or scientific accuracy.
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- Hernandez-Martin , A. , Garcia-Unanue , J. , Martinez-Rodriguez , A. , Manzano-Carrasco , S. , Felipe , JL , Carvalho , MJ , Gallardo , L. , & Sanchez-Sanchez , J. (2021). ). The Effects of Football Practice on Nutritional Status and Body Composition in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 13(8), 2562. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8401613/
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- Mitchell, J. A., Chesi, A., Elci, O., McCormack, S. E., Roy, S. M., Kalkwarf, H. J., Lappe, J. M., Gilsanz, V., Oberfield, S. E., Shepherd, J. A., Kelly, A., Grant, S. F. A., & Zemel, B. S. (2016). Physical activity benefits the skeleton of children genetically predisposed to lower bone density in adulthood: Physical activity and pediatric bone density. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 31(8), 1504–1512. https://asbmr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jbmr.2872
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- National Alliance for Yout Sport (NAYS). (2016, junio 20). Soccer receives A+ grade for health benefits for kids, study finds. Accessed April 19, 2023. Available at: https://www.nays.org/sklive/sure-shots/soccer-receives-a-grade-for-health-benefits-for-kids-study-finds/
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