The Benefits of Sport in the Early Years – & Exciting Chorley News!

In exciting news, Chorley made it to the National press and TV this week and there has been a huge amount of buzz about what’s been going on. For anyone who missed it, the story involves Chorley Football Club and stars from two pop groups. Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy from Boyzone and Brian McFadden from Westlife visited a Chorley FC match. Along with Boyzone’s Ronan Keating, they are exploring the possibility of buying a stake in the club. The story has gone completely viral with the likes of Sky Sports, ITV and the BBC having sent camera crews to cover it. The stars’ visit and interest in Chorley Football Club have been the talk of the Nation and have certainly put Chorley on the map!

“This is a game-changer that has the potential to bring our town into the limelight like never before, generating a buzz and publicity that will shine a bright light on Chorley and the local area.” — Chorley FC

With Chorley Football Club being only 4.8 miles and a 14-minute drive from Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, this news has certainly registered on our radar. What’s more, it’s sure to fire up greater interest in sport from children in the Chorley area. Perhaps some of them could even end up being sporting stars of the future! With all that in mind, we thought we’d take the opportunity today to explore the value and importance of sport to children in their early years.

Sport in Early Childhood

Sport takes an incredible number of forms and, as such, allows children of all shapes, sizes and abilities to get active in one way or another. There are many sports to choose from, so there’s bound to be something to suit every child. Make no mistake, sport is generally very good for children and we’ll come onto some of the many reasons later in this article. Whether it’s table tennis, swimming, cycling, football, gymnastics, running, roller-skating, a simple game of rounders, or one of the many other sports, there’s usually something for everyone — including children with additional needs. Sport is fun too, so children will naturally enjoy taking part once they’ve identified sports games they connect with.

The Benefits of Sport to Children, Especially the Young

Participation in sports benefits children in many different – and often profound – ways. That’s especially true for children in their early years, being a stage when they learn fundamental skills like jumping, running, throwing and catching balls, etc.

What’s common to just about all childhood sports is that they get children moving — and that’s perhaps one of sport’s most important facets. With childhood obesity rates at alarming levels^∞ in recent years, getting children active — and used to an active lifestyle from an early age — has never been more important. Taking part in sports will help improve fitness levels, strengthen hearts, muscles and bones, and help children maintain a healthier lifestyle when combined with a healthy diet.

“Getting kids moving and having fun again has never been more important, and it all counts towards the 60 minutes of physical activity (including 30 minutes outside of school) they need every day.” — NHS

Sports and active hobbies will also help little ones hone balance, agility, coordination and motor skills. That’s incredibly important during early childhood as these key skills are still developing and, as the old proverb goes, “practice makes perfect.”

The benefits of sports are not only physical; children’s mental health benefits enormously too. Not only is participation in such activities immense fun (which is an important benefit all on its own) but sport also helps children’s confidence and self-esteem to grow, as well as being a great antidote to any stress and anxiety they might be feeling.

“Having a positive attitude towards physical activity has also been associated with children being happier.” — NHS

Participation in sport also teaches little ones other key skills. For example, it helps children understand the need for good communication, cooperation, teamwork and even sportsmanship. It teaches them the importance of perseverance, strategy, how to win or lose gracefully, how to overcome challenges and how to build resilience. Learning such skills will stand them in good stead during childhood — and right into adulthood.

Regular participation in sports also instils discipline and a sense of responsibility in children. They learn the importance of practice, punctuality, and following rules. Such understanding can positively impact both their academic and personal lives.

Sport is a great socialiser too. Through sport, they’ll get used to interacting with other children as well as coaches, teachers, or childcare professionals. Moreover, children not only make new and deeper friendships through sport, but also learn social skills before, during and after such play. These skills and benefits will stay with them for the long term and will help to enrich their lives in profound ways.

Children also benefit cognitively through participation in sport. Sports require strategic thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving. They require children to learn to anticipate actions, make quick decisions, and adapt to changing situations. All such endeavours stimulate cognitive development in children and greatly enhance mental agility.

Taking that a step further, multiple studies suggest that regular physical activity improves concentration, memory, and even academic performance in children. It’s incredibly powerful when you think about it.

All in all, sport can play a crucial role in the holistic development of children. By enhancing physical, social, emotional, and cognitive skills, participation in sport can contribute to their overall well-being and indeed success in life. Let’s therefore nurture our Clayton and Chorley children and make the most of the incredible opportunity that is sport.

Little Acorns – an Outstanding Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Entrust your early years childcare to an outstanding, award-winning provider

If you want the very best childcare nursery or preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, you will find it in Little Acorns Nursery. We are officially an ‘Outstanding Provider’ as well as being the winner of an amazing National Nursery award. So, you know that your child will be in good hands under the care of our wonderful early years practitioners. We also support various Government-funded childcare schemes for eligible families.

Contact us today to register your child for a nursery place, explore the possibility of doing so, or ask any questions:

Our nursery/preschool is located in Clayton-le-Woods, near Chorley, Central Lancashire. As such, it may also suit those in towns and villages nearby, for example, Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.