Intellectual development in childhood can be enhanced through playing sports

Sport in childhood or adolescence plays an important role in intellectual development.

Playing sports is not only beneficial for strengthening physical and mental health, but also helps to improve the ability to deal with everyday problems.

What are the benefits of sport in childhood and adolescence?

Growth and development are enhanced when children and adolescents participate in sports activities. They will now have a more active lifestyle, reducing the risk of diseases (including mental ones), preventing weight gain, developing physical skills, among others.

Practicing sport in adolescence and childhood also improves positive aspects in the personality such as respect, good communication, perseverance, setting goals and fighting difficulties. There is also the benefit of combating anxiety and improving motor coordination.

How does sport favor intellectual development?

According to experts, children who play sports are able to improve their cognition. And this was confirmed by a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Experts say that children who practice some sport develop their intellectual capacity, have greater motivation, commitment, greater ease for inclusion, increased self-esteem, etc.

In addition, sport stimulates reasoning and language and also improves learning.

Sports most played by young people

Football and basketball are among the most played sports by young people today. Both work on teamwork, respect for the rules, overcoming, coordination, concentration, balance and speed. But there are still others like those related to martial arts.

Thus, children, adolescents and young people improve their agility, flexibility and intellectual abilities. In addition, as far as intellectual development is concerned, they learn to face challenges and are already prepared to deal with moments of frustration as well.

How to encourage this practice

Parents are key to encouraging sport in childhood. But companies and other bodies can and should also play their part in this process by supporting initiatives with this purpose.

Some of the main measures to encourage the sport are: avoiding excessive demands and demands, there being no benefit in this.

Too: 

– It presents different sports and sports so that the child has options; 

– Don’t forget to always consider her physical limitations;

– Allow the child or teenager to follow their own preferences and avoid pressuring or even criticizing them.