5-7 Year Olds – The Peak ‘Window of Opportunity’ for Children to Engage in Sport
As we know, there are so many benefits to children taking part in team sport that go far beyond just ‘running off a bit of steam’.
However, team sport for a 5-year-old isn’t about being perfect or striving to be the best. It’s about instilling a positive relationship with sport and activity from an early age and encouraging a growth mindset.
Learning fundamental skills through enjoyable, fun age appropriate play makes movement and activity naturally become a part of everyday life, teaching valuable life skills which last forever.
5-7 year old children are the peak age to learn important physical literacy skills – what does this mean?
Physical literacy is a number of key elements: ‘motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life’.
Each element is key in getting more children and young people active – the more elements present, the more active a child or young person is likely to be.
When children play, they learn, it’s that simple. The simple act of play is a key element of children’s learning. Engaging young minds with imaginative games and activities is the best way to introduce them to the world of sports and exercise. Ages 5 to 7 offer an ideal window for starting this positive lifelong journey.
Anwen started Mighty Netball at the very beginning in 2017 aged 7 years old. She embraced everything that team sport had to offer within the prime ‘window of opportunity’.
Anwen made meaningful connections, gained confidence, improved coordination, enhanced social skills, gained self esteem and teamwork skills such as learning to win and lose graciously – just a few of the endless benefits of team sport.
Anwen is passionate about netball and plays weekly league matches with Junior Netball Club Phoenix. She has grown from participant to young volunteer to Mighty Netball coach, sharing her love of the sport with children in their ‘window of opportunity’. Long may this cycle continue!
If you’d like your child to try netball and learn about all the amazing benefits team sport has to offer, please book a FREE trial at one of the venues at www.mightynetball.co.uk.
The key mission at Mighty Netball is ‘to provide a fun, stimulating sporting experience where children learn vital life skills and develop long-lasting self-belief through team play’.