Here are the top sports we recommend for children in Singapore, complete with the individual benefits of each sport as well as class suggestions!
Children these days are frequently cooped up studying at school and at home, and the default leisurely activity of choice tends to be gluing themselves to electronic gadgets. This sedentary lifestyle which is common among Singaporean children today does not bode well for their health and development, be it physically or mentally. For instance, Singapore’s obesity rate is rising, with 30 percent of residents being overweight and 10 percent being obese. Encouraging your children to take up a sport would be a highly beneficial way to ensure your child remains fit and healthy. It also helps in increasing their confidence and self-esteem, develop their social skills such as teamwork and communication, and train their self-discipline and resilience!
1. Taekwondo
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Taekwondo, while being a Korean form of martial arts, has been a popular sport for kids in Singapore. This may be because of its physical benefits, as it trains one’s strength, dexterity and flexibility, as well as mental resilience. It can also be practiced on both an individual and team basis, making it ideal for children to befriend people!
There are abundant options for taekwondo classes or institutes for parents to choose from, with J H Kim Taekwondo Institute being the most famous of the lot given its international recognition and as its classes are tailored to a large age range of children. Its Taekwon Tots program is tailored for 3-5 year olds, teaching the basics of Taekwondo with a focus on play, while formal training from basic to advanced black belt classes for older children are also offered. Other options include the TOP Taekwondo Academy, which has a Kids & Young Children class for 4-10 years olds, Korean Taekwondo Martial Art Academy and Taekwondonomics, both of which offers classes for all ages from 3 years old and skill level. Visit their websites to shortlist suitable programs for your little one!
2. Swimming
Photo by Mariano Nocetti on Unsplash
We can probably all agree that swimming is an important life skill to pass down to children. Given the abundance of swimming pools and beaches around Singapore, learning to swim opens up new doors for potential family activities!
It’s never too early to start your kids on swimming lessons. There are classes aimed at exposing young babies to basic water safety such as Swish Swimming, Little Splashes, aquaDucks and Inspire Mum & Baby. While the former three are also leading swim schools which offer swim lessons and training for children across all ages, SwimRay is a good option for parents looking to enroll their children into something more competitive, as their syllabus offers a 5-step Aquatic Roadmap that aims to teach students accident survival swimming, open water swimming and competitive swimming concepts. Whatever your needs and expectations may be for your child, there’s a class for that!
3. Rock climbing
Rock climbing and bouldering is fast becoming one of the most popular sports in Singapore, and this has also resulted in an uptick in climbing classes for children! Rock climbing is a particularly good sport for kids as it helps to hone their motor skills, flexibility, logical thinking, problem-solving abilities and confidence.
The best kid-friendly options offer classes tailored to children. BFF Climb is a climbing gym with two outlets that have zones dedicated to children and family with little to no climbing experience. Parents can choose to enroll their children in guided sessions or free-and-easy sessions. Another attractive option is The Rock School, Singapore’s first-ever climbing school aimed at kids 4 to 14 years old. It offers a variety of classes from beginner courses to one-to-one coaching, and a range of climbing types from indoor bouldering to outdoor rock climbing walls.
4. Trampolining
Does your kid have seemingly boundless energy to expend? Well, look no further. Start jumping for joy as we’ve found the best sport for your child! Trampolining is not only an awesome activity to break a serious sweat – with elements similar to formal gymnastics, it can help to seriously build your child’s mobility skills and fitness!
While there are a number of trampoline parks around in Singapore, we recommend you to check out BOUNCE Singapore at Cineleisure, which offers classes for beginners and advanced climbers, and aims to help students develop proper trampolining technique, moves and skills. Children from the age of three are eligible to attend their courses. They also offer camps during the school holidays, which guarantees a fun time for your child.
5. Inline skating
Inline skating is a great sport which provides anaerobic benefits of muscle strengthening and endurance training and balance improvement. They’re also the most beginner-friendly form of skating because they are versatile, have a long wheelbase and safer brakes, and are easy to operate and maneuver around respective of surface type. It can also be practiced anywhere, including any open area near your home, and is a fun group activity!
Skate schools such as Skateline Skate School offer single sessions to introduce beginners to skating and safety skills, which are always a good way for children to try out potential new hobbies. Skate With Us is a children’s skate school which offers weekend group classes and skate camp opportunities over the school holidays. Lastly, coaches from Doorstep Skating offer a coach-at-your-convenience service, with classes being held at your preferred place and timing. This makes it perfect for families to save on their transportation costs and time!
Conclusion
There are really a myriad of sports to choose to enroll your child into, and we’ve barely scraped the tip of the iceberg. As the saying goes, health is wealth, and there’s no better way to get your kid in tip-top condition than frequent exercise and incorporating fitness into his lifestyle!
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Genesis Childcare 1989, one of the best Tampines Preschool and a good childcare in Tampines, advocates that every child is unique and precious who needs to be loved and cherished. In our Tampines childcare (Tampines Central), we have developed a curriculum which provides a bilingual learning experience, helps the children to learn the necessary skills and knowledge needed to help them successfully transit to Primary School with ease.
As one of the best childcare centre in Tampines since 1989, we are committed to nurturing our early learners holistically through various learning areas and positive learning dispositions. In our Tampines Preschool, we place a strong emphasis on the way our teachers facilitate and interact with the children.
Teachers from our childcare Tampines or Playgroup in Tampines are trained, qualified, passionate, dedicated, enthusiastic, caring and encouraging who love and empower each child to fulfil their potential to the fullest. Our Tampines Preschool professional team of preschool teachers has a good understanding of child development and learning principles. We apply them efficiently and set the stage to create a meaningful learning experience that supports your child's discovery.
The children in our preschool Tampines get to learn English, Chinese, Maths, Science, Music and Movement, Arts, Outdoor Play and cookery lessons. Our Preschool Tampines also provides balanced and nutritious meals for the children and helps the children to cultivate healthy eating habits.
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If you are looking for a good Tampines infant care or Tampines preschool or Tampines childcare near Tampines Central, do consider Genesis Childcare 1989.
Located alongside our childcare centre in Tampines is our Nurture Infant House. If you are looking for a good Tampines infant care or infant care in Tampines, do visit Nurture Infant House. It is for infants aged 2 months to 18 months old. You can learn more about our infant care Tampines here.
Lastly, would you like to visit our Genesis Childcare Tampines to find out more about our environment and setup as well as understand our operations by talking to our teachers and supervisor?
Genesis Childcare 1989 (Playgroup to Kindergarten 2)
Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-63/65 S(520433)
Nurture Infant House (2 to 18 months Infants)
Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-61 S(520433)
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