When my son was five years old we signed him up for soccer. The intention was not because we thought we were grooming the next soccer star. We thought it would be a fun activity for our active child. At three he could already ride a bike without training wheels and at five he could dribble and make a basket at a rim set for a child’s height. He seemed to have a natural ability for sports. Since he kicked a ball pretty good we thought soccer would be a nice sport to start with at a young age. So we went to our local YMCA and signed him up along with plenty of other parents and their little ones. This would be his first time playing sports on a team.
The soccer team consisted of several boys and girls ages 3 to 5 years old. The mature four and five year olds seemed to grasp the idea quickly and played as well as could be expected for their age. The three year olds seemed to struggle with the concept of the game and many refused to play. We had one child forced screaming on the field by his dad to get his chance to kick the ball. At one practice we had four parents on the field holding the hands of their three year olds and helping them kick the ball. Thankfully that behavior was not allowed on game day. If you have to help your child play then your child is not ready to be on a team.
So should three year olds play sports? I believe most children at three years old are not developmentally capable of playing a team sport. While my opinion is supported by my experience it is also the opinion of some pediatricians. There is nothing harmful with it unless you are a parent who will pressure your child or act a fool at games. However, a three year old would benefit more from one on one play with mom and dad or siblings in the front yard. I am certain to find three year olds that defy this assessment. Yet, even if they do is it really necessary for a child that young to be involved in team sports? Is it too much pressure and not enough free play for that age?
What do you think and what have your experiences been?