Why getting kids involved in sports at an early age is a good idea

We often speak about exercising with a partner or exercising with kids separately.

The topic of an entire family doing the same physical activity at the same time, at the same venue together is not often spoken about.

Being a runner and a cyclist, it’s becoming more and more apparent that major sporting events are realising the need to incorporate kids in the actual activity rather than just having a kids play area to keep them entertained.

In this case the standard families that typically includes two parents along with kids is now catered for at more events than previously.

Some running races that previously used to cater for distances such as 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km only have now started adding kids’ races ranging from 50m for toddlers all the way up to 2.5km races.

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The same can be said about cycling races that are now becoming inclusive of families.

With this kind of inclusive action, more and more families are being encouraged to use sports as a bonding tool.

For example you could have one parent running the full marathon, the other running the half marathon and the kids taking part in kids’ running races at the same event.

The sense of achievement along with everyone’s finishers medals can become quite the highlight or topic of discussion that brings the family together.

I first tested this out when my daughter was one and a half years old. We both went down to Cape Town for the Two Oceans Marathon.

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She took part in the Nappy Dash which is a 56m-long race and I ran it with her. She was very proud when the medal was placed around her neck at the finish line. The following day I ran the 56km ultra marathon so in essence we hit two birds with one stone that weekend.

Last year, I had the opportunity of experiencing yet another running event with my daughter. I did the 42km marathon and she (at the age of four years old) ran the 200m race with her grandmother.

For days on end she couldn’t stop sharing her excitement of the running experience with granny and even more so her finishers medal that looks just like mom’s medal.

I have also witnessed families at mountain biking events where the kids are tended to by their nannies or grannies on the kids race course while the parents take part in longer distance races.

Hiking is also another activity that is fast becoming a family sport. Park runs on Saturdays and swimming events like the Midmar Mile also bring families together.

Picture: iStock

We can all agree that nothing beats family time and I can attest to the fact that sports is not only a nation builder but also a family builder.

Getting the kids involved, especially from a young age, will do them well going into adulthood. I started running and other sporting activities from a young age because I started with my mom.

So moms and dads, don’t leave the kids behind when you go racing. Look out for events that are inclusive of kids and if it means bringing the nanny or a grandparent along, then why not?

Zulu is a qualified biokineticist and cofounder of PopUpGym. Follow her on Instagram: @letshego. zulu; Twitter: @letshegom; Facebook: Letshego Zulu

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