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Spring sports for kids: Best picks for a fun season

Let your child try one of these sports to welcome springtime

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A children's baseball game
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When the winter hits, most kids plan out how they will stay inside all season long, huddled under blankets with books and TV shows. Parents, too. By spring, parents and children alike cannot wait to get back outside and moving again. If you want to help your child stretch their body and mind out and be active again, find one of these spring sports for kids and get them signed up now.

How to pick a sport for your child

A children's martial arts class.
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Depending on where you are, spring sports for kids usually start signups in January, but can go up to May in some places, so check with your local school or city club on the dates. When picking a sport for your child, let them make the decision with you, and don’t be disappointed if they don’t want to continue it. You want to find something your child likes, so they stick with it. Letting them try a few different ones wouldn’t hurt, especially so you know what they want to commit to before going crazy buying all of the gear.

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If your child’s school doesn’t offer many options for sports, see what the city has. You can also check with the community center or local YMCA for a list of sports offered there. If you homeschool, don’t forget that your child can play on the local school district’s teams.

Team sports

Kids playing soccer.
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Soccer

A big team sport for the season is soccer, and a lot of kids really take to it because of all the running around. It’s a great sport to build teamwork, improve coordination, help with balance, and gain confidence. It is also an amazing cardio workout for kids and will get their lungs opened up.

Baseball or softball

Some leagues let girls play baseball, but no matter what, baseball or softball is a good sport for the season. From working on hand-eye coordination to learning how to work as a team on the field, baseball or softball provides a unique learning experience for kids while letting them get a little dirty and run off some energy.

Lacrosse

Another quality team sport that will teach your child how to work together with others, get a cardio workout in, and help with their fine motor skills is lacrosse. It’s not offered everywhere, so if your city or child’s school has a team, see if your kid would be interested.

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Cheerleading

If you’re a parent who’s still obsessed with Bring It On or Stick It, maybe see if your child likes to cheer. Cheerleading is a lot more work and intensity than it looks, and your child will learn a lot about trusting others and their own body with this sport.

Singular player teams

A child playing tennis outside.
RDNE Stock project / Pexels

Tennis

Yes, tennis can be played with a team of two, but if your child doesn’t want a big team sport, this is a good alternative. Tennis requires more calculating and reactionary reflexes than some other sports and would be great for a child who loves to use their brain to strategize while flexing their muscles.

Track

If your child loves to run, see how they do with track and cross country. It is a simple way to keep them fit and active, and they don’t have to learn a lot of rules. This is an amazing sport for a kid who wants to get out and do something but doesn’t like the idea of team play.

Swimming

If your child loves water, stick them in the pool. Swimming is so good for the whole body, and a child who knows how to swim properly will be safer in the water. This sport can relax an anxious child and give them a calm space to work on their focus.

Don’t forget these sports options

Children in dance class.
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Dance

Boy or girl, dance gives you core strength and balance like you can’t get with other sports. Children will learn more about their body and what it is capable of, and the mental awareness dance provides would be beneficial for children to have.

Gymnastics

Whether you have a son or daughter, gymnastics is a sport for the entire body that will work on their coordination and body flexibility. The look on their face when they land a new skill or trick will give them confidence that will carry over into other parts of their life.

Martial arts

Whether they do karate or taekwondo, a martial arts class would benefit any child. The discipline and patience your child will develop as they earn their belts will be unmatched. If you have the time, you could even take the class together and bond with your child while you learn this sport together.

No matter what sport your child picks to participate in, it will be fun to watch them grow, learn, and experience this part of life. There is nothing like sitting in the crowd and seeing what your child can do. To shake off the last bit of cold the winter has settled on everyone, look through these spring sports for kids and let them pick one to step up to this season.

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