Remember when weekend play meant going outside, finding whoever was around, and playing whatever seemed fun at the time?  When the big kids taught the little kids how to choke up on a bat, kick a football, or shoot a foul shot?  When sports were fun for everybody, regardless of skill level?  Well we do, and it’s important you do as well.

The world of kids sports has become over competitive, over parentized, and over organized.  It’s time to get sports back into the family.  That’s right…kids and parents playing together.  A number of years ago my good friend Dave Raichle created a program in Cincinnati called Great Sports!  The program is designed to bring moms, dads, sisters and brothers together to participate in a semi-organized day of sports fun.

The Great Sports! program is set up for Sunday afternoons from 1:00-4:00, and centers around a variety of different sports.  Whether the activity basketball or kickball, the goal is to divide into two groups and spend two hours just playing together.  But there is one catch.  In order to play, the kids have to come with at least one able bodied parent willing to run around and join in the frenzy.  As Dave says, parental “dump and run” is not allowed.

Programs like these are important for a number of reasons.  First and foremost, sports are a great vehicle to drive parents’ interaction with their kids.  Running down a field laughing and jostling each other can help dads and kids feel close to each other in a way no conversation ever could.

Second, sports provide us an opportunity to both teach our children and to share in their joy as they improve their skills.  There’s nothing better than seeing the gleam in your kids’ eyes when they make their first catch or hit their first homerun.  And nothing makes a dad more proud than bragging, “I taught them to do that.”

And third, sports is a universal language that cuts across all age levels and abilities.  You don’t have to be a Michael Jordan to have fun playing ball.  Your kids really don’t care whether or not you can fade away and dunk; just getting out there and trying makes you a winner in their eyes.  And with your encouragement and praise, you have the power to make them feel like MVPs as well.

To get you in the game, here are some of Dave’s exciting sport activities.

•  Super-Cool Street Hockey Find an empty parking lot and make a quick rink with landscaping timbers or two-by-fours.  Buy a puck, play in Rollerblades or your sneakers, and make an afternoon of it.

•  Chicago Softball For a new twist on softball, use a 16 inch ball and no gloves.  A great extra large ball is called the “Official Clincher” and made by deBeer.  You can find one by talking to your local sporting goods store, or looking on the web at SportSite.com.

•  Kids Volleyball Played like regular volleyball, except that you catch and pass the ball to a teammate, then throw it over the net.  If it hits the ground, that’s a point.  This version’s a lot easier for young ones to play, and it promotes teamwork.

•  Ultimate Football Part of the NFL’s official Flag football program, Ultimate football is a wonderful, fast-paced kids football game for young kids.  It allows everyone to play and equally touch the ball, so it’s great for both boys and girls.  Call Lynn Dinanno at (212) 450-2562 for more information.

With as many as 70 parents and kids at a time showing up to play, Dave Raichle’s Great Sports! program has been a huge success .  It’s an amazing program–and examplifies how valuable sports can be.  Dads need this uninterrupted play time.  It’s a chance to meet and hang out with each other.  It’s an opportunity to encourage and support the efforts of other parents.  And, most importantly, it’s a way to show the your kids how special they really are!  So dads, there are no excuses for you to sit on the sidelines.  Find a park and organize your own Great Sports!

program–I guarantee you’ll have a ball..

Filed under: Parenting Ideas/Innovations