Why the Benefits of Children’s Involvement in Sport go Far Beyond the Physical
What is ‘World Children’s Day’?
World Children’s Day was officially established in 1954 by the United Nations to promote and celebrate international togetherness & awareness among children worldwide, along with highlighting the need to improve children’s welfare and happiness on a global scale.
Celebrated each year on November 20th, it “offers each of us an inspirational entry-point to advocate, promote and celebrate children’s rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for Children.”
So What Has Sport Got To Do With It?
Central to the aims of World Children’s Day is to promote the health, happiness and well being of every child; as well as to give every child the opportunity to feel part of a community, and to have the right to make their voice heard. Sport has a lot to do with it!
Sport is a powerful tool for developing both the mind and body. For children, it offers them the opportunity to make new friends, have fun, learn to be a team member, learn to play fairly, improve self-esteem, and instill in them a respect for others.
- Kids’ character and moral principles are formed through fair play. Moreover, children who are actively engaged in sports can be good role models for their peers from school, neighborhood, or even school choir, and inspire them to start playing some sports as well.
- Playing sports enables them to create friendships they otherwise might not have formed. For example, the friendships professional athletes create on the field remain intact even when they are not playing sports, and often last a lifetime.
- Sports bring people together from all over the world, regardless of their nationality, religion, culture, or skin color.
- Teamwork and benefits of social interaction among children are best seen in sports. Kids learn they are part of a team that requires the same effort from all members to succeed, as well as how to win with class, and lose with dignity.
- They view competitions on and off the field as opportunities to learn from their success and failure. In addition, losing often motivates kids to work even harder for next time.
- They learn to respect authority, rules, team colleagues and opponents.
- Sport is an important learning environment for children. Numerous studies have shown that children who play sports perform better at school. It is also within sport that peer status and peer acceptance is established and developed.
- Sports experiences help building positive self- esteem in children.
- In addition, participating in sports can be a helpful way of reducing stress and increasing feelings of physical and mental well-being, as well as fighting against juvenile delinquency, conflict and aggressive outbursts. The point is to keep the body in good health in order to be able to keep our mind strong and clear. (Source: https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/
Numerous events are taking place across the globe to mark World Children’s Day 2017, for more information visit: http://www.un.org/en/events/childrenday/