Sports For 1st Graders- What to Expect
First grade is a significant time for your child’s development. Their hand-eye coordination is getting better and they are starting to develop reasoning and logic. With all of the physical, emotional, and cognitive growth that happens at this age, 1st grade sports are a great way to support their growth. So what should you expect from your 1st grader’s sports program?
Learn the Basics
Sports programs for 6 and 7-year-olds should be focused on learning the basics. While their hand-eye coordination is improving, their muscle memory, strength, and agility are still developing, so they are not ready to learn more complex movements and plays yet. Therefore, the goal of recreational sports at this level is to lay the foundation for a future love of sports and teach kids basic skills they can build on. They will learn the basic rules of the sport as well as basic skills such as dribbling a soccer ball, basic throwing mechanics in baseball, or dribbling a basketball.
Athletes at this age are also slowly introduced to each position in their sport. At this age, kids rotate throughout the game and play multiple positions so they learn the role each one plays within the team. Eventually as they get older, players will know which position they like best and choose to focus on improving on one or two instead of all of the positions.
Sportsmanship
Communication is still new to kids at this age so 1st grade sports are a great opportunity for kids to practice their social skills and learn basic communication skills. They will learn how to communicate with each other during plays, but will also learn how to congratulate each other and support their teammates. They’ll learn the importance of saying things like, “nice try,” to a teammate when they miss a shot or “good game,” to the other team even though their own team may have lost. These skills are basic steps into learning sportsmanship, leadership, and having a positive attitude. Sportsmanship is the foundation of developing well-rounded athletes.
Teamwork
One of the most important values children can get from 1st grade sports is teamwork. During first grade, kids start to become more aware of other people’s feelings. Learning how to work together, be a good sport, and cheer on teammates are skills your child will be able to use on and off the field.
Building Confidence
Sports for first graders are a fun way for kids to grow their confidence. Recreational leagues give all team members a chance to play and develop new skills. Additionally, there are no tryouts or cuts. Taking away the pressure of being evaluated allows young kids to try something new without fear. Once they are on the team, they will naturally build confidence as they make new friends and get positive feedback when they progress.
Have Fun
Let’s not forget the most important aspect of sports for 1st graders- having fun! Your child’s sports league should focus on movement, play, building friendships, and having fun. Kids at this age are growing in so many ways and learning how to be good students. After-school activities such as youth sports, are meant to be an enjoyable outlet for kids to be active and blow off steam.
Sign Up for i9 Sports®
Ready to get your young kids involved in sports? At i9 Sports®, we offer programs focused on building sportsmanship, teaching the fundamentals, and having fun! Choose your sport and find a program near you today.
