What Kind of Sports Do Kids Like?

Getting children involved in athletics is a good way to improve both fitness and social skills. There are a number of different sports that kids enjoy. Baseball, soccer, football and basketball are four of the most popular. Some kids may be drawn to one, but not the other. Ultimately, the choice of sport lies with the individual child.

  1. Baseball

    • Baseball is one of the most popular youth sports. Kids who get involved in baseball do so through local organizations called Little Leagues. There is a multi-tiered system based on age through which kids advance. They start out with tee ball where they hit a ball off of a stationary tee. Then they move up to slower pitch leagues, sometimes with coaches pitching instead of the opposition. The final level involves facing the opposition, including their pitchers.

    Soccer

    • Soccer is another heavily favored sport among kids. While more popular in other countries than in the United States, it is still popular among American youngsters. Unlike baseball, the youth version is very similar to the adult version even at the earlier levels. The sport involves two opposing teams trying to score goals by kicking a ball up and down a field. Each team has a goalie who tries to prevent the opposing team from scoring. The players can kick or use their heads to hit the ball, but they can't use their hands.

    Football

    • Football is perhaps the most popular sport in the United States. The object is to move the ball down the field by throwing or running it. To score, the team must move the ball across a goal line. The opposing team tries to stop the offense by tackling the player with the ball. Because of the physical nature of the game, kids begin by playing touch or flag football. Touch football involves tagging the ball carrier as opposed to tackling him. Flag football involves pulling a flag off the ball carrier's belt.

    Basketball

    • Youth basketball, like soccer, is similar to the adult game in most respects. The object is to move a ball down the court by dribbling or passing. Once you are close enough, you shoot the ball toward a basket. If the ball goes in, you are awarded two or three points, depending on the distance. The only difference in the youth variation is the distance for two and three-pointers may be slightly modified.