Good "beginner" sports for 4 y/o (babysitting, baby, game)
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It is not at all too early to start an organized sport. And why not football, if that is the sport he has shown interest in? There are flag football programs for children his age.
Football (soccer) and floorball/salibandy if that's available where you are.
this
soccer is the sport of choice- not much equipment, lots of running, and easy to learn the game,,
and easy to practice by yourself or one or two buddies
+1 on Flag football and soccer. Tball is boring for the child if you have a really active energtic kid. Not to mention as the parent sitting in the stand, it is boring to watch (IMO)!
+1 on Flag football and soccer. Tball is boring for the child if you have a really active energtic kid. Not to mention as the parent sitting in the stand, it is boring to watch (IMO)!
Not for everyone. Many people I know love to watch T-ball because it's extremely funny and cute. Most kids love to play it, too. However, out here, a newly four-year-old wouldn't be old enough to play. I believe the only sport out here that someone that age could play is soccer, which is very good sport little kids (even I say that, and I hate soccer).
In my experience, it has a lot of things working against it for this age. It requires some coordination that a lot of kids just don't have at this age, the "at bat" moment is terrifying for SOME kids since it doesn't offer the "shelter" of being one of a team, and a lot of dads have been waiting their WHOLE lives to have a kid playing baseball and they can't forget that they aren't Joe Torre. It just gets to be too much for some kids.
My youngest also LOVED football and wanted to learn about it and play. We tried soccer because that was the sport that allowed the youngest kids at the Y.
After two games of soccer, though, it was clear that my son was made for football. He couldn't get used to NOT using his hands. It was kind of hilarious.
My older boys played flag football from age 6 and loved it. We just went ahead and started the youngest in tackle, though, with Brentwood Blaze at the Jr Pee Wee level at age 5. He's played for 5 years now and LOVES it. Franklin Cowboys also have a team, but I'm not sure if they have a flag football team like the Blaze or the Y.
You said that your kids started playing football at 5 and 6, but the OP's kid is just turning 4. Football here doesn't start until 5, so her kid would be too young. I just checked, and the only sport that will take a four-year-old here (very youth sport centric area) is soccer. In fact, he'd even be too young for soccer due to his later birthday. For what it's worth, I (hugely into sports) think four is too young for organized sports.
If he wants to throw a ball around, take him out to play catch like parents used to do before any sport started at four.
I remember the first soccer game for one of my kids. He couldn't stop laughing because he was so excited to play his first real game. It is a memory I will never forget. The smile didn't leave his face all year. I think he was 4 at the time and still today all he talks about is soccer.
I haven't put any of them is T Ball because I can't stand watching it, but I think I will put them in baseball next year at age 8.
My daughter also started soccer first, but she ended up quitting after a couple of seasons as it wasn't for her, now she is on to other adventures.
We put our son in gymnastics class when he was about 4. The gymnastics instructor had a great point, he stated no matter what sport they decide on, if any, the balance, coordination and flexibility learned in gymnastics will benefit them.
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