“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up” – Vince Lombardi
We have been hearing a lot about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle of late. We all know how harmful leading a sedentary lifestyle can be for the physical and mental well-being of not only the adults but also the kids. Speaking about the last two years, with the Covid-19 outbreak, children had no choice but to stay put inside four walls. During this time, they were totally cut off from not merely their social life but also from all sorts of physical activities, especially outdoor sports and games. Their only source of entertainment was indoor and computer games. However, with things slowly improving and the functioning of schools going back to normal, reintroducing sports to children has become the need of the hour.
We, at DPS Kangra, one of the best schools in Kangra district, believe that active participation in sports is indeed crucial for the holistic development of children. As a school, we have often stressed the need to focus on the overall development of children and not merely academics. After all, intellectual development is just one aspect of growth. Development happens in the true sense of the term when all the facets, encompassing cognitive, emotional, social, physical, personality, and character, get equal attention. And sports have a massive role to play in this regard.
It would hence be not wrong to claim that sports and holistic development are interlinked. So today, in this article below, let us look into the topic further and discuss the crucial role that sports play in the holistic development of children. Read on.
Role of Sports in Holistic Development of Children
- Promotes physical fitness:
Physical fitness is important to reduce body fat and control body weight. With improved fitness, it becomes possible to lower the risk of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In fact, physical fitness helps to improve mental well-being as well. It helps to boost the mood, energy levels, concentration, and confidence.
One of the best ways of introducing children to physical fitness is by involving them in sports. It has been seen that children who actively play sports are in their best physical and mental health, which in turn reflects in all areas of life. Thus, it is safe to conclude that sports influence holistic development in children.
- Aids decision-making skills of kids:
Making crucial decisions is something that has indeed put us all in a spot some time or the other. However, studies reveal that if children are imbued with decision-making skills early in life, they are more likely to grow into successful individuals in life ahead.
Thus, it is rather important that efforts should be laid towards grooming the kids into becoming clear-headed decision-makers. And to achieve this goal, parents should encourage children to pursue sports. It has been seen that children who play fast-moving, dynamic games, turn into quick decision-makers.
In sports, if a player needs to dictate a game, he/she needs to be confident in making decisions. This is why children who remain active in sports develop sharp decision-making skills with time.
- Builds communication skills:
A child, who brings back good grades purely by mugging up information from the textbook, is more likely to find it hard to make a mark in the future. Contrary to this, a child who is on his toes and can express himself better is more likely to take away the cherry from the cake. This clearly shows how important it is for children to sharpen their communication skills.
At DPS Kangra, we work towards instilling communication skills in our pupils by encouraging them to partake in team sports. When children get to play in teams, they engage in two-way communication with other team members. They interact not just verbally but also using non-verbal cues, which help in improving their alertness and presence of mind and work to sharpen their communication abilities by manifold.
- Backs multi-tasking abilities:
We understand that most of these young buds will grow up to either join an organization or start their own business. However, in either case, they will have to function as great multi-taskers. As such, it is a fact that no matter how much they would want to sit down over one thing for a long time, circumstances would demand otherwise. This important life skill can be taught to children by introducing them to sports.
While playing any sport, children have to play their game, pass cues to their team members, and also keep an eye on the opponent’s moves. This means that they are basically juggling between multiple activities while playing sports, without even realizing the same. This sows the seeds of multi-tasking in them right since childhood, which go on improving with age.
We, at DPS Kangra, have been continuously reinforcing this vital life skill in our students. In fact, we do highlight the many advantages of multi-tasking so that they do not feel overburdened and avoid seeing this skill in a negative light.
- Teaches time management:
All those parents who wish their kids to achieve huge feats in life, we are certain that the last thing you would want your little ones to quote is “I do not find enough time.” After all, as Miles Davis has said, “Time isn’t the main thing. It’s the only thing.” If you don’t teach your children to manage their time better, you are basically skipping the very first step on the ladder to success.
It is hence very important to teach this crucial skill to your kids at a young age. And one of the best ways to do so is by encouraging them to participate in sports.
A child who is active in sports gradually learns how to distribute his time between academics, sports, entertainment, and family time. When the child spends long hours on the ground practicing, he learns to utilize the remaining time in hand wisely. This skill learned during the childhood years not only comes to their immediate aid but also serves as a crucial quality upon growing up.
- Supports emotional well-being:
Though often ignored, emotional health holds a very special place in the holistic development of children. Many times, children get bogged down because they are unable to cope with a sudden emotional blow. For instance, when a child performs poorly in examinations, he is likely to feel emotionally low and at a loss of purpose.
We, at DPS Kangra, recognized among the topmost schools in Kangra district, believe that even though it is important to speak to children about different types of emotions, positive and negative ones included, it is equally important to offer them some sort of practical learning. What better way than turning them into sports!
Sports introduce children to the spirit of sportsmanship. A very basic but deep-rooted idea that sports etch in the minds of children is the law of nature, which states that every game has a winner and a loser. Even though it is a matter of pride to win, in no way should losing put you down. In fact, you need to pat on your back and remind yourself that you participated and gave your best shot.
Thus, sports indeed have a role to play in children’s well-being, which eventually transforms them into emotionally strong and clear individuals.
- Introduces problem-solving:
The law of life is the more you run away from problems, the more the problems start running behind you. The best way out is to accept the problems as a part and parcel of life and try to hit back at them with out-of-the-box solutions. It is, in fact, necessary to learn to face our problems with grit and confidence. Problem-solving is a vital skill that children need to be introduced to.
To that end, while the theoretical explanations put forth by people are certainly useful, it is always better to back them with practical exposure. And in this regard, sports are a go-to as they help to instill problem-solving abilities in kids in an easy yet effective way.
- Creates self-identity:
Getting to know oneself better is a vital element of holistic development. You may not know, but one of the primary reasons behind children going off-track is because they find it difficult to identify with themselves. Even before they know, they are blindly following the crowd.
This, we believe, is an important issue that needs to be addressed at the school level. With this is done right, you need not worry about your child feeling lost when he grows up. The best way of going ahead in this regard is by introducing children to sports. That’s because participating in sports is one such activity, which helps a person in understanding himself inside out. Once children know “who they are” and “what they stand for”, they are sure to never feel lost upon growing up. This is an important life lesson that is sure to take them a long way.
Sports – The Best Stress Buster for Children!
Studies have revealed that around 7% of children in the age group 3 to 17 years suffer from anxiety. This shows that stress has not only become a part of the life of adults but also for the kids. Today, even young children fall prey to stress-induced diseases such as anxiety and depression.
Taking this situation into consideration, it has become important to look for a preventive measure rather than a curative one. An immediate go-to in this regard is to introduce children to sports.
It has been found in research that when you play any sport, your body releases endorphins, which in turn helps in relieving stress and pain. It thereby also becomes easier to improve one’s productivity and show up better than before.
Thus, if you are desirous of helping your children in beating stress while also enriching their life with crucial skills, then it is imperative that you encourage them into pursuing sporting activities.
Sports – The Backbone of Holistic Development in Children:
All this while, if you have been stressing the importance of merely the academics to your children, then it is high time you reconsider your stance!
No doubt, academic progress is important, but not at the cost of other activities. Balance is important. You need to allow your children the time to invest in other fruitful activities such as sports. After all, as already discussed above, every sport has a positive contribution to make to children’s lives. It is hence pretty much evident that sports form a crucial component in the holistic development of children.
We all are well aware of the fact that once children complete their education and go ahead to pursue their respective careers, they would need to bring a lot more to the table than just good grades. To excel in their careers, children will be required to display vital life skills such as quick thinking, getting innovative, problem-solving, decision-making, etc. Books alone cannot teach all these skills. Thus, allowing children to pursue a sport of their choice is indeed important!
At DPS Kangra, positioned among the best schools in Kangra district, we firmly believe that children must not merely be encouraged but also given the freedom to choose the kind of sports they would like to partake in, and this calling should be purely on the basis of their interest. The idea is to add color and vibrancy to their personality, which is something sports can certainly contribute to!
Should sports be made compulsory in schools?
For the longest time, the debate is on, if sports should be made compulsory in schools. Considering the many benefits that participation in sports bring along for children, it is pretty evident that sports should be made a part of the curriculum. This then becomes the starting point for children’s holistic development.
In fact, most progressive schools, including us, at DPS Kangra, have gone ahead to make sports a vital part of the learning module.
At our school, we have kept aside a dedicated time each day, where students get a break from academics only to engage in a sport of their choice. From football, basketball, volleyball to a wide range of indoor games, there is a lot in store for every child.
At DPS Kangra, one of the leading schools in Kangra district, we take pride in raising a clan of happy children, which to a great extent has been possible because of the balance we have strived to establish in the learning routine of our pupils. We ensure that the young minds at our school get an equal dose of academic proficiency and physical activeness. It is this mantra that aids in the holistic development of our students and paves the path for them to lead a successful life ahead.