When a Child Can Begin Playing Sports

Youth sports are adult organized and controlled athletic programs for young people in the 6-to-18-year-old age range. The participants are formally organized into teams and leagues, and practices and scheduled competitions are conducted under the supervision of an adult leader. They are an important part of our culture, and most children become involved at some point in the normal course of events.

Because of the potential role that sport participation can play in the physical and psychosocial development of children, there’s much to be said for parental guidance and support at even the first stage of involvement. They should take this responsibility seriously, for sports can be either a positive or a negative influence in the life of a child.

Why can’t very young children compete?

The question was addressed in a seminal chapter by pioneering social psychologist Carolyn W. Sherif (Sherif, 1976). The following themes were analyzed:

• Competition involves goals that are remote in time, have abstract reward value, and are only probably attainable (i.e., uncertain).
• Competition occurs in a social context in which parents, siblings, and peers provide a medium for learning rules and standards and for testing one’s performance against others.
• The capacity to direct behavior in the context of competition develops with age.

In summarizing a large body of research concerning the above points, Sherif concluded that “ordinarily, by about the age of six in our society, a child can and does compete” (1976). Prior to that age, children simply haven’t accumulated sufficient social learning experiences to enable them to compete. It’s also important to mention that, even when children are ready to play sports, the competitive emphasis should be phased in gradually as they get older.

At what age can kids start playing various sports?

This isn’t an easy question to answer, because readiness means a child has the necessary physical, mental, and social skills to meet the demands of a sport. And, of course, child development occurs at different rates.

Children shouldn’t be hurried into youth sports. They need time to enjoy free, spontaneous play with their friends; as such, play is important in their social and mental development. Rushing kids into youth sports and subjecting them to competitive pressures before they’re psychologically equipped to handle it can contribute to their eventual dropping out of sports.

Based on available scientific and medical evidence, and considering individual differences in physical and psychological maturity, some age guidelines can be recommended for specific sports.

• For non-contact sports, most children can safely enter participation at age 6 or 7: baseball, figure skating, golf, gymnastics, race running, skiing, softball, swimming, tennis, volleyball.
• For contact sports, a somewhat later entry age of 8 to 10 is recommended: basketball, martial arts, soccer, wrestling.
• For collision sports, pediatric sport specialists recommend that children have the physical maturity of 10- to 12-year-olds before they get involved: ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, tackle football. Studies have shown that smaller and less mature youngsters have higher injury rates in these sports, particularly if players are matched based only on age and not on measures of physical maturity such as size and strength (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2024).

In reality, many children begin playing sports at younger ages than recommended. However, many so-called “start-up” programs are appropriately modified to correspond with the developmental readiness of the participants. For example, tee-ball baseball, mite-hockey, and mini-mod or micro-soccer are excellent for introducing children to the fundamental concepts and basic skills of the respective sports.

Words of caution are warranted

No matter how enjoyable or fulfilling sport participation is, it does take time and diverts energy from other pursuits. In some sport programs, intensive training routines can take a physical, emotional, social, or academic toll. It’s important for parents to help their children keep a healthy balance in their lives, lest sport becomes work instead of what it should be: Fun!

Research suggests that children who drop out of sports because of burnout may be less likely to remain involved in any type of physical activity. This should be cause for alarm, for one of the potential benefits of sport involvement is the development of an orientation toward exercise and physical activity that should last a lifetime.

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Sometimes, as much as parents would like their children to play sports, the best decision is to not participate. Although sport participation is desirable, it isn’t necessarily for everyone. Children who want to direct their energies to other pursuits should be given the freedom to do so. Some parents become unnecessarily distressed if their child doesn’t show an interest in sports. But forcing a child into sports against their will can be a big mistake. Sometimes the wisest decision is to encourage a child to move into other activities that may be more suited to their interests and abilities, at least until a desire to play sports develops.