Sport for highly sensitive/unathletic boy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd try chess. Great sport for nerdy kids.

Yeah, really helpful with getting her DS more active...

[Anonymous]

Gymnastics. In the 3-8 age group, it really improves general coordination (which is transferable to team sports later on if he/you so desire) like nothing else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gymnastics. In the 3-8 age group, it really improves general coordination (which is transferable to team sports later on if he/you so desire) like nothing else.

+1
Very true about gymnastics helping to increase coordination. Our DC who struggled to go fast on his scooter last year (while maintaining balance, steering, and turning when needed) is having zero problems this year and flys by.

I would look for a "real" gymnastics place where the kids will work on skills lthat also include strengthening. It's part of our gym's warm up session for all of the classes that start on the hour.

Fencing, TKD, and archery are also good options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd try chess. Great sport for nerdy kids.

Yeah, really helpful with getting her DS more active...

Actually it is - its a game of one on one strategy which translates perfectly to a fencing match or a tennis match etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS, who is in Kindergarten, needs encouragement to be more active. The teacher has asked us to try to get him involved in a sport that he likes to help him with this. We have tried soccer and baseball and they have been unsuccessful. Soccer is too fast moving and he appears to be scared of the ball. Baseball is slightly better because it is slower.....but the other kids are all already very skilled and DS feels bad because he is not very good at baseball.

Can anyone recommend a sport that might work for a child like this? He likes to run -- but organized running doesn't start until much later.

Or should we alternatively just try to get a private occupational therapist for him? He has never qualified for state services or missed milestones. But he is very unathletic and someone mentioned that his motor skills might benefit from some OT.

OP, you may need to get an OT evaluation for him in any case if he has coordination issues. You may want to get his eyes checked as well.

Swimming, yoga, and martial arts are good for individual exercise and reinforces bilateral coordination.

Many kids are not good at sports. Some don't care and will participate in any case. For your son b/c he seems to suffer from a lack of confidence, emphasize the "just showing" up aspect. He doesn't need to be a great runner, swimmer, etc. but praise him for participating.

[Anonymous]

Running is a great sport for kids that don't like the physicality of some of the "ball" sports.

Swimming.

Golf.

Martial arts can be REALLY good for kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it hard to believe kindergarteners are so skilled at baseball that a beginner would feel overwhelmed. Sure you aren't projecting this on him? My kids played tee ball in K and the kids were looking for 4 leaf clovers in the field and everyone ran after the ball when it was hit. Relax and he will.

No one is skilled at baseball in kindergarten except for the random prodigy or kid with big brothers who plays all the time with older kids.

Iindergarten baseball is Tball. The skill set is almost non existent at that level.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like he doesn't like or is able to function in competitive sport that involves a team/group.
Or you can wait till 1st grade and see if cub scout would fit him better. Some love cub scouts but do not do well athletically. Or if you might have to introduce sports that are not in a team, do individual sport. Tennis, running, table tennis, t ball, swimming, martial arts. You work as a team but you are not pushing, kicking anyone. But, even with martial arts, you have to end up fighting another opponent when it becomes more than just for fun class. And even with tennis, you have to be somewhat coordinated. T-ball might be ok but I hear kids complain about being in the outfield because there's more waiting and actual hitting.
I would stick with swimming because that's a skill that will always be helpful.
Team sports require more time to learn. You can't just learn the skills, you have to learn to play with others fairly and that's hard for some kids to learn than others.

[Anonymous]

My son, who is now age 12, has always been sensitive and not very coordinated. He wants to be on sports teams, but was always intimidated by soccer, basketball, lacrosse, etc. because they are very fast moving contact sports. He did eventually get the hang of, and now very much enjoys, baseball so I would recommend trying that one out again in a year or so. But I did want to highly recommend martial arts - it is an individual sport of body and mind.

[Anonymous]

OP, some great recs here for individual sports. But can I also suggest having you/your spouse make an effort to get outside with him and work on some other group sport skills (soccer, basketball, football) in a really gentle, supportive way? Not drills, just playing together. Playing with his dad in the yard just for fun really helped my son become more confident and skilled, and just helped him enjoy being active. He's actually become much more athletic than I ever would have predicted based on what he was like in K (he now plays middle school sports).

[Anonymous]

OP where do you live?
I find it is easier to stick with an activity if it is fun but also not too onerous for the family i.e. the driver! Also, just because the kid does not like an activity at one place does not mean they wouldn't like it with a different approach/instructor.
We did Stoddert soccer and Kaizen karate and dance and the kids loved them. This year we are taking a break and just doing tennis. Our friend's kid hated her first martial arts studio (and her mom hated the contract commitment) but 2 years later she loves the taekwando at Northeast Taekwando in Brookland DC.
For baseball, the fall league is supposedly less competitive. I would try T-ball at K if he isn't enjoying full blown baseball. There are weekend workshops, and summer sports-oriented camps that could help improve his skills, along with trips to the batting cage and lots of catch with his parents (!) We did not do baseball yet because we'd have to hire a special baseball chaffeur/nanny/coach to get the kids to practices.
When I was a kid there was nothing that could have convinced me to enjoy sweating out in some field, waiting to get my finger dislocated by a flying ball, I questioned the meaning of it all too much (are they just trying to wear us out? This is busy work to keep us out of trouble!)
I missed the point and realize that now...but I did enjoy cross country, volleyball, hiking and paddling. Hope you can find something he enjoys.

[Anonymous]

Silver Spring has a great youth ballet company with classes just for boys, Maryland Youth Ballet. Talk about coordination!
The Kirov has evening preparatory classes and DC's Dance Institute has ballet for tots. Also the Washington Ballet (obv) and the Dance Loft on 14th offers Company E, with kids classes on Saturdays and Mondays...God I love this city so many good choices

[Anonymous]

My nephew kind of sucked at sports - he was the slow one on the soccer field. But he clicked when he took up hockey and it ended up helping him get into college where he played on a Pac-8 varsity team. Didn't hurt that his dad was into hockey and football when he was younger and was from Wisconsin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like he doesn't like or is able to function in competitive sport that involves a team/group.
Or you can wait till 1st grade and see if cub scout would fit him better. Some love cub scouts but do not do well athletically. Or if you might have to introduce sports that are not in a team, do individual sport. Tennis, running, table tennis, t ball, swimming, martial arts. You work as a team but you are not pushing, kicking anyone. But, even with martial arts, you have to end up fighting another opponent when it becomes more than just for fun class. And even with tennis, you have to be somewhat coordinated. T-ball might be ok but I hear kids complain about being in the outfield because there's more waiting and actual hitting.
I would stick with swimming because that's a skill that will always be helpful.
Team sports require more time to learn. You can't just learn the skills, you have to learn to play with others fairly and that's hard for some kids to learn than others.

I think this gets at the heart of how to approach this. Sounds like your DS needs to be more active and could also benefit from becoming more comfortable working in groups/on teams. Of course sports are a great way to accomplish both simultaneously, but no reason the two things need to go together. Focus on whatever physical activity your son finds fun/palatable and then try to find other ways to help him get involved in groups. Cub scouts seems like a good idea to start with.

Martial arts can be a great confidence booster, so might be a good place to start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it hard to believe kindergarteners are so skilled at baseball that a beginner would feel overwhelmed. Sure you aren't projecting this on him? My kids played tee ball in K and the kids were looking for 4 leaf clovers in the field and everyone ran after the ball when it was hit. Relax and he will.

No one is skilled at baseball in kindergarten except for the random prodigy or kid with big brothers who plays all the time with older kids.

Iindergarten baseball is Tball. The skill set is almost non existent at that level.

I think it's fine to try some of the other suggestions, but I really think baseball is good for less athletically inclined kids. Just make sure you get out and practice with him.