It’s no secret that baseball is one of the world’s most popular sports. Teams like the Yankees and the Dodgers and players like Mike Trout and Freddie Freeman have encouraged people everywhere to watch and play baseball. In addition, the MLB World Series 2022 has recently started, and seeing players in action means that baseball fever is in the air!
Therefore, now is the right time for everyone, including children, to get their bats, balls, and gloves out!
Here are some reasons why children need to play baseball.
Allows Them to Learn About Teamwork
One of the reasons why kids need to start playing baseball from a young age is that it teaches them to communicate and coordinate with other team members. In the current digital era, where children prefer spending most of their time on smartphones or in front of televisions, teaching children real-life teamwork is a huge challenge. Therefore, any sport like baseball is the right way to encourage your child to interact with other teammates.
Explain to them that baseball is a team game, so one player can’t lead the team to victory. In the same way, only one player isn’t responsible for a team loss as it’s a joint contribution. Whether you’re striking out the opposite team’s player or are scoring home runs, you need to have a team constantly supporting each other.
In addition, when children constantly communicate and interact with other kids on the field, they’re bound to build some long-lasting, meaningful friendships.
Improves Their Hand-Eye Coordination
Young children develop gross motor skills as they grow up. These skills use the body’s core muscles and allow children to develop better balance and hand-eye coordination. Good hand-eye coordination is essential for children and even adults as they need it to perform daily tasks like writing, drawing, tying shoelaces, etc. Therefore, if your child has trouble multitasking or coordinating their hand and eye movements, encourage them to play baseball.
It’s no secret that a baseball player can’t go an inning without good hand-eye coordination, which makes baseball a good opportunity for children who want to develop this skill. Children are supposed to keep their eyes on the ball, the fielders, their coach, other team members, and more while hitting, pitching, or fielding the ball.
Moreover, in some cases, baseball teams have to play in windy conditions, so players have to make an extra effort to keep an eye on the ball being carried to different locations by the wind.
Builds Muscle Strength
Do you know that baseball works all the major muscles in your legs and arms? When you’re moving around the field, squatting down to retrieve the ball, and running to make home runs, you’re using your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscles. In addition, throwing and catching the ball and constant hitting work your triceps and biceps.
Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising that all this repeated motion during practices and matches allows children to build muscle strength. In addition, playing baseball is a good cardiovascular workout that keeps your children healthy and active. After all, teaching children the importance of being fit from a young age is essential.
Helps Them Learn About Patience and Discipline
Most parents try to discipline their children through different techniques, but more often than not, they don’t work. However, it’s important to discipline children in a healthy way. This way, they grow up to become responsible adults who practice self-control.
Therefore, one of the best solutions is to let your child play sports with dozens of rules, like baseball. Like other sports, baseball players have to stick to the game’s rules to win matches. In addition, these players must stay patient while learning how and when to make home runs, strike out, and hit the ball correctly. They also learn different strategies where staying patient and waiting for the right time can help them win games.
In baseball, children also learn the consequences of making mistakes healthily and take steps to ensure that they avoid making those mistakes in the future, as it can cost them their wins!
Brings Out Their Competitive Side (In a Healthy Way)
Research suggests that a little healthy competition inspires children to do their best constantly. Children who regularly participate in different competitive sports are more independent. These skills prepare them for the academic and professional world. Therefore, what’s a better way to bring out your child’s competitive side than letting them play baseball matches?
Baseball players are constantly urged to improve their game so they can secure a win. These children follow different sports strategies and rules to perform well alongside their teammates. However, this competitive environment is healthy and friendly. At the end of the day, despite which team wins or loses, children walk out shaking hands and chatting with kids on the opposing team.
Allows Them to Have Fun
In the end, all sports, including baseball, are all about having fun. Despite the rules and the game-playing strategies, your child gets to throw a ball around, strike the ball with the mad, and dive in the dirt while catching the ball. What more can a young kid possibly want?
Baseball allows kids to be kids. In addition, you can make baseball a family activity by teaching your child how to throw and catch in the backyard. Try and be a part of your child’s weekly baseball games and enjoy seeing them trying to score home runs! This is a surefire way to build a healthy bond with them and show them that you’ll always be there to cheer them on.
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Playing baseball allows children to be physically healthy, active, disciplined, and more. At Outdoor Trends, we have engaging outdoor sports and activities guides for children and adults. From discussing the best surfboards for beginners in 2022 to reviewing the best drones for travel & adventure in 2022, we do it all!
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