It is a contemporary fact that children do not come into contact with the basic forms of movement (they play less outside and less on recreational squares, the streets have become less safe, etc.). They grow up in a different movement culture (with game consoles, mobile telephones, digital media, etc.). I call them the Playstation generation.
Research has shown that this generation is significantly less fit than children from 40 years ago.
In addition, the body is often developed too one-sided, due to early specialization, it is overloaded too early and children become socially isolated.
And that’s just what we don’t want! We want children to play (practice sports) and continue to practice sports, to build a Play & Stay generation.
The development of general motor skills is limited if insufficient skills are offered at a young age. Motor development evolves very fast in the period between 7 and 12 years, so it is a critical time to train it.
It is therefore important to provide a versatile range of movements that serves as a foundation on which more sport-specific things can be expanded: first the athlete and then the specialist!
Children who do other activities in addition to their sport will develop more all-round and keep more options open!
Give them a whole universe of skills so that they can lay strong foundations, fully develop and each of them evolves their talents. That way every child can become their own star in the universe!
Offering variety, creativity, challenging and effective practice material are therefore crucial. It provides more pleasure in moving, more motivation, more social involvement, less chance of overload, … + lowers the chance of an early dropout.
Many coaches, players, teachers and parents are often looking for this creative, challenging and varied practice material. Well… here you can find a lot of exercises within the age group of 6-14 years (many drills are also applicable for older and/or younger players)! There is always room to break down or build up the offered exercises … but always do this in an efficient way, taking into account the goals of your training and the age of the child.
