In some parts of the country, winter can seem very long. Making the most of winter is always something we set out to do every year. At sportswarrior365, we remain active during the winter as it has physical and mental health benefits.
We believe kids and adults should find a way to get a quality workout many days of the week through playing sports. Sports provides a great release from life and at the same time helps us learn many life lessons. The challenge around sports is truly unique as it provides a test of our overall abilities.
Fortunately, for kids there are many sports they can participate in during the winter. The winter sports for kids provides many options. We believe that sports can help develop kids in the short term and long term.
Life lessons that can be learned from sports are top notch and truly beneficial. Find a way to get your kid involved in one of the 12 sports highlighted below.
We end by providing 3 tips that can help you support your kid in their journey.
12 Winter sports for kids
- Basketball
- Wrestling
- Swimming
- Cheerleading
- Indoor soccer
- Ice Hockey
- Simulator Golf
- Skiing and snowboarding
- Ice Skating
- Bowling
- Racquetball
- Gymnastics
Basketball
A sport that can be started as young as 4-5 years old. Typically, this will be a short 2-3 day camp or something designed for younger kids. By the time they turn 6 there are often leagues that kids can join where the game is played at a lower hoop height.
The basics of the game such as dribbling, passing, shooting, defense and overall court awareness are developed and kids get to have a great time. My kids love the game of basketball, due to the high energy, constant movement and the challenge of making a basket.
Many kids quickly fall in love with the game and enjoy watching the NBA as well, as the stars are easy to see on television and the game continues to grow in popularity. Once a kid player 1 to 2 years at the recreation level, there are opportunities to move up to the travel level starting at around 3rd grade.
This typically consists of some league play and then some tournaments. Some travel teams will play between 25 and 50 games depending on the total number of tournaments. Kids that end up really enjoying the game and have shown some quality skills can also play AAU basketball, which takes place in the spring and early summer.
Overall, basketball is a great game that requires a high level of skill and athleticism. There are plenty of opportunities to burn some energy, get a great workout and develop some athletic ability. The game can be played year round indoors and there are also opportunities to play outdoors with certain level. The game is relatively cheap to get started and easily accessible at nearby parks or schools.
Wrestling
This is a sport that is not easy. Most kids can start by attending a short game to be introduced to the sport of wrestling. The people who are fans of wrestling seem to really love the sport and are all in on the overall development of the wrestlers.
In my experience as an Athletic Director, I have always appreciated the approach that wrestling coaches take to the life lessons that can be experienced in wrestling. Most kids are going to lose some matches and dealing with losing and failure is excellent for the overall development of a kid. As a parent, you can be supportive and help your kid learn those lessons.
Like basketball, wrestling is also a cheap sport to get started in. As a kid advances with the sport, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in tournaments and local leagues. There are also year round opportunities to continue to develop skill and compete. The best wrestlers when they get to high school are frequently wrestling 10-12 months a year and monitor there overall body weight at key times of the year.
It takes a tough person to stick with wrestling, but the life lessons and discipline are impressive. The sport of wrestling is started to gain some popularity with girls as well. In pockets of the United States, some local high schools are now hosting girls wrestling tournaments.
Swimming
A phenomenal sport for kids to get started in as it provides a great workout and lifetime sport that a kid can carry into adulthood. Swimming takes a great deal of discipline and dedication to get to the highest levels. Swimming is held indoors in the winter and outdoors in the summer in most parts of the United States.
Kids can often get started at a young age with learning how to swim and start to compete on swim teams around 6 or 7 years old. The swim meets often take all day, but are a blast. At a high school level you will often see a high level of dedication and team camaraderie in working towards personal records and achieving new levels of success.
Cheerleading
An excellent sport for kids to get involved with as it helps provide confidence and a willingness to work with others to perform and support a team.
Many cheerleading teams become competitive cheerleading and require a basic skill in tumbling and gymnastics. There is also an element of dance that takes part in cheerleading. If a kid has experience in any of these three areas cheerleading is another option for them.
Indoor Soccer
In many parts of the world, where the winters can be snowy and cold, indoor soccer is a great alternative to continue to develop the skill set associated with soccer. It is also a great opportunity for kids just starting with the game to have their first introduction to the game.
Soccer is a highly skilled game that takes 11-12 months a year of practice to get to the highest levels. As kids advance with the game there are options to play Club Soccer and receive high levels of coaching. Soccer, due to the high level of footwork required to play an elite level, will often practice several days a week and play games on the weekends.
Indoor soccer tournaments are very common and take place almost every weekend of the winter from November through March. For those that love soccer, the indoor game is a great option as it provides a condensed field, which requires even better footwork and control of the ball.
There are many benefits of soccer from a basic level of developing footwork, which transfers well to other sports (see Kobe Bryant and Odell Beckham Jr. two high level professional athletes who played soccer as kids) and also provides a great workout and building confidence. It also take a high level of teamwork to experience success in the game.
Ice Hockey
Hockey can be played indoors and outdoors. It can cost quite a bit of money due to the limited ice time and the cost of the equipment. It is a highly skilled game due to the ice skating element and the overall power and speed required to play the game at a high level.
Hockey families are known to travel long distances for practices and games. It is not uncommon for practices to take place very early in the morning or even very late at night. This is a result of the lack of overall ice time in many parts of the country.
Simulator Golf
For those that are not fortunate to live in a climate where golf can be played 12 months out of the year, there are options to play in simulator golf leagues. Many local high school teams will train through simulator golf at least once a week.
This helps the players stay sharp and continue to develop their swing. There are also options of building golf simulators in homes now due to the reduction in the overall cost to build a golf simulator. Here are sportswarrior365, I have a golf simulator in my 3rd car garage and have answered many questions related to golf simulators including the cost and review of many golf simulator products.
Check out the 20 plus posts, here. For the kid that loves golf and has started to play outdoors, simulator golf is a great alternative during the long, cold winters that many parts of the world face. It is a way to keep up with the kids in the warmer parts of the world and continue to develop the golf game and swing.
Skiing and Snowboarding
For those that have snowy winters, skiing and snowboarding provide an excellent activity to burn some calories during the long winter months. Most local ski locations offer s simple ski hill called a bunny hill and beginner lessons at different times.
While the sport can turn expensive, it really is a fun activity to get started in. Many middle and high schools will run ski clubs in the winter, where kids can go after school to ski or snowboard. They are both really fun activities that get kids outdoors during the winter months.
Ice Skating
Another opportunity to get out of the house in the winter. A great family or friend activity the first several times. It could lead to a kid becoming interested in hockey or figure skating. A great workout that requires practice and skill development, but something that is fun! Most local ice skating rinks will provide lessons for all levels of ice skaters.
Bowling
While bowling can occur at any time of the year, it is much more popular in the fall, winter and spring.. Most leagues will take place for 30 weeks out of the year starting in the fall and ending in the spring. Just about every bowling alley will have kid leagues that often start with bumpers as kids learn and develop the skill necessary to learn the sport.
Many high schools now have bowling teams as kids can compete for a state championship in many states. Once again, the key is to have kids involved growing up for the life lessons and the dedication that it takes to be good at something. Bowling is yet another option for kids!
Racquetball
While it might be difficult to find leagues for kids who love racquetball, there are tournaments that take place. Most kids will start the game if they have a parent or close relative who loves the game. I found the game later in life, but truly love the workout that I get due to the fast paced nature of the game. It is highly competitive and a ton of fun. It truly can be a special sport and yet another option for kids to compete and learn from. Learn more about racquetball and the calories burned, here.
Gymnastics
Although gymnastics can take place anytime of the year due to it taking place indoors. The busiest time of the year for gymnastics is late winter and early spring. This is when the majority of tournaments take place. To get a kid started in gymnastics, a parent will typically sign a kid up for a class that meets once a week.
If the kid continues to develop and enjoys the sport, there are definitely options to expand the level and frequency of training. The foundational piece of gymnastics provides a great base and athletic ability for many other sports. Gymnastics can get expensive for the kid that is practicing most of the days of the week!
Tips for Parents – Supporting Your Kid
Be Encouraging
The ultimate that your kid needs is your support. They don’t need someone to verbal criticize them the minute the competition is over and you are in the car. Instead, ask the right questions, give some praise and make sure they are having fun.
Too often, parents are over zealous as they live vicariously through their kids. Be encouraging and be the person you needed in your life as a youngster. Life is difficult enough without an over zealous parent putting extra pressure on a kid to succeed.
Be Supportive
Reflect on what your kid needs. After a tough loss, a simple hug and a positive word might be the perfect recipe. Think about their physical and mental needs as make sure they are not burning out. Unfortunately, in today’s society, some kids are pushed to a level where they do not even enjoy the sport any longer. Make sure you provide some commons sense in your approach with your kid.
Be A Great Listener
Make sure you press pause and listen to your kid. They may not be ready to express themselves right after a game, but follow up and ask questions to bring about discussion and monitor where your kid is at. If they are having a blast playing, competing and practicing encourage the positives and continue to support them in their journey. If they express frustration or burnout assess what might be needed at that point.
Here is a previous post on 7 reasons kids should play sports. Check it out here.
Related Questions
Should my kid specialize in a sport?
We believe that kids should start off by trying many different sports. There are many benefits to playing multiple sports and switching seasons. There are some situations where a specialization in sports is something a good thing, but generally speaking playing at least two sports carries major benefits.
What if my kids coach is a screamer?
Try to balance the coach out at key times, such as on the way home from practice by being encouraging and supportive. Your kid will survive if you play the situation right and do not overreact to the situation. If it gets to a certain level, you could always contact the coach when your kid is not around and express your concerns.
What should be the goal of a season?
My goal as a coach is that at the end of the year, the kids want to play again the following year and that they have developed some skills and love for the game.
By making a goal that players want to continue on with the sport, I feel that I have been successful in making the experience fun and supportive for the kids. We want kids to have a positive feeling about the sport and hopeful for their future experiences with the sport.
What is the best sport to start with?
I would recommend starting with a several day soccer game or something similar that has a low level of commitment and is hopefully fun and encouraging.
We want kids to stick with sports and a 3-5 day start just might be the perfect combination. Soccer is a great sport for footwork development, teamwork, and the game allows kids to run around and get some energy out.
Take Action…
Sports provide many great opportunities for life lessons. Stay patient with your child and be encouraging, be supportive and be a great listener. Many college and professional athletes are born with certain genetics and then they work hard. Not every kid is going to paly college sprots and that is perfectly fine.
The reason we love sports here at sportswarrior365 is for the life lessons learned from dedication yourself on a journey to reaching personal excellence. . The relationships built are often lifelong and the personal responsibility that sports requires to reach a high level all help a kid as they head to college or off to their career.
