Children Stay in Sports, But Only if They're Fun

For children, life is about learning and adventures, but most of all, having a good time, and this can certainly be true for children who acitively participate in sports. However, a recent study published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health found that children are more likely to stay active in a sports activity if--first and foremost--it's fun. 

"We're seeing a lot less activity in kids than we did before," said Edward Laskowski, a physical medication and rehabilitation specialist from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., via USA Today. "About one-third of kids in the U.S. are considered overweight or obese. It's certainly an epidemic.

For the study, researchers from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., interviewed about 230 children, coaches and adults. All of the children were between the ages of nine and 19 and part of a soccer team. Some also participated in other sports.

Researchers asked them about various factors that contributed to their decision to participate in sports. Eighty-one factors influenced the children's decision to join a team or actively participate in a sport. However, the number one reason noted was out of pure enjoyment. Researchers discovered this when the participants made concept maps titled "FUN MAPS," that outlined the aspects of sports that children thought were fun.

"When we think about fun we think about this abstract, elusive thing, and now we're trying to define it," Visek added. "If you look at the map, it gives you a 360-degree picture of what fun is ... and we have displayed things in one picture that's easy for anyone to understand."

With a greater knowledge of understanding just what motivates children to get in and stay in sports, researchers said they hope to encourage children to become more active.