By: Emily Shwake

A study performed by the University of Montreal and CHU Sainte-Justine Children’s Hospital has determined that children who participated in sports from kindergarten to age 10 had higher self-control scores by the fourth grade. They noted that vigorous activity, such as team sports, also led to a higher attention span. All this, leads to better classroom success over the school years.

While no causal link has been established between playing team sports and success in the classroom, study leader Linda Pagani says that there is “something specific to the sporting environment—perhaps the unique sense of belonging to a team, to a special group with a common goal—that appears to help kids understand the importance of respecting the rules and honoring responsibilities.” This can lead to more focused learning throughout their schooling.

The researchers found that if a five-year-old niece or nephew is playing sports, odds are, she or he will still be playing sports when they are ten. So early-year sport involvement means there’s a great chance for continued participation as they get older. Unstructured play experienced in kindergarten did not have an effect on later academic success.

If your nieces or nephews are into sports, or are willing to get involved in sports, encourage them by attending games or helping their parents shuttle the kids to-and-from practice, when possible. Or, as a long-distance aunt, support their participation by offering to contribute to the sometimes high-cost of little league uniforms or soccer coaching. And if you can model your own athleticism, even better.

Linda Pagani and her team hope that their work will encourage greater access to sporting activities for children, especially those at risk for obesity or those struggling in school. Game on, kids!

Photo: holbox
Published: July 27, 2015