The goal is simple help your child fall in love with moving their body while the stakes are low and the joy is high. The habits you seed in the early years drive lifelong health, learning, and emotional resilience.

Start with what the world’s health bodies agree on. Children 5 to 17 should average at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily, with vigorous play and muscle and bone strengthening several times a week. Under-5s need lots of active play, good sleep, and very little sedentary screen time. These patterns improve fitness, heart and metabolic health, bone strength, cognitive performance, and mental health, and reduce excess adiposity.

There is strong evidence that sport also protects minds. A 2025 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, tracking more than 16 000 Swedish children, found that higher physical activity at ages 5 to 11 and participation in organised sports were associated with a lower incidence of later psychiatric diagnoses. In plain terms, moving more and joining a team in primary school mattered for mental health in the teen years.

Play is your best on-ramp. Outdoor, unstructured movement in the preschool and early primary years boosts physical, mental, and emotional health, and even supports learning. Let chasing, climbing, ball games, bikes, and water play lead the way long before scoreboards matter. And remember the attachment piece consistent, empathic parental presence in the early years helps children regulate emotions, which makes sport a source of confidence rather than anxiety. Fathers and mothers offer distinct, complementary gifts here, from soothing fear to channelling energy into healthy risk-taking.

The first principle in encouraging sport is to make it fun. Children stay engaged when the activity feels like play, not obligation. Kicking a ball in the park, splashing in the pool, or running obstacle courses are all forms of movement that spark laughter and joy. UNICEF stresses that playful movement builds planning, social skills, and self-regulation, which later transfer seamlessly into organised sport.

The second is variety. Between ages 6 and 12, let children sample different sports such as swimming, gymnastics, football, netball, athletics, martial arts, or dance. This generalist exposure develops broad coordination, prevents overuse injuries, and gives them freedom to discover their natural interests. WHO guidelines affirm the value of variety within the 60-minute daily activity target.

A third step is to make sport part of family life. Routine matters more than occasional bursts of activity. Walking or cycling to school, keeping a ball or skipping rope at the front door, or scheduling a weekly park visit helps embed active habits. The WHO warns that most children fall short of recommended daily movement, making consistent cues from family life essential.

Another pillar is to protect rest and reduce passive screen time. Under-5s should spend as little time as possible restrained or on screens, while older children benefit from firm boundaries around devices. Adequate sleep not only boosts attention and learning but also helps the body and mind recover from exercise.

Parents also need to strike the right balance between involvement and independence. Joining in games when children are young builds bonds, but as they grow, parents should step back and allow coaches to lead. The parental role then becomes modelling calm encouragement, respect for effort, and good sportsmanship. These signals secure sport to relationship, not performance pressure.

Finally, praise must focus on effort rather than outcome. Applauding hard work, teamwork, and perseverance creates resilience and keeps anxiety low. This mindset sustains participation and allows the mental-health benefits of sport to accumulate over time.

If a child resists one sport, simply pivot to another. The real goal is not medals but a movement-rich childhood that feels safe, social, and satisfying. Anchor sport in play, keep pressure low, involve both parents, and let variety do the heavy lifting. The science is clear start early, keep it joyful, and you give your child a stronger body, a steadier mind, and a sturdier character.