Helping children obtain healthy lifestyle habits is one of the main and most important jobs parents have. Children can be easily influenced, so it’s your job to lead your child to the right path.
If you have done it right, and your boy loves sport, you shouldn’t have a doubt about which type of gift to buy for his next birthday, Christmas, or any other occasion. It should be something related to any sport, and here’s a list of the best possible gifts for children who love sports.
Helmet for Bike
If your boy is into bicycles, teaching him that safety comes first is fundamental. And the first lesson is that helmets for bike are mandatory in Australia. Wearing a helmet can significantly reduce head injuries and, in some cases, they could even save his life. According to Australian law, bike and scooter riders must wear a helmet, so it’s of vital importance to choose one that’ll meet Australian Safety Standards.
Additionally, the chosen helmet should fit properly, otherwise, your child won’t receive the needed protection which in some cases could be fatal. The right type of helmet should be nice and snug, but not too tight. Generally speaking, you can choose from two types of helmets for bike with excellent performance features: in–mould and hard shell helmets. The plastic shell and shock-absorbing foam of in-mould models are created in one piece, and they usually have a thin outer layer.
On the other hand, hard shell helmets have a thicker outer layer and look quite the same as skateboarding helmets. When comparing both of these models, it’s considered that the in-mould types are more durable and perform better in case of a fall. But this doesn’t mean that the hard shell bicycle helmets aren’t good – the truth is that both of these are considered safe to use in Australia.
In case you want to improve your child’s safety even more, you can also choose bike helmets with an additional layer of protection – MIPS (Multidirectional Impact Protection System). By having this kind of protection, they will move only a bit on impact which reduces the chances of injury.
When choosing the right type of helmets for bike for your child, ideally you should measure the head to get the right fit. Forget about the practice of buying one or two sizes up so your child could wear it for a longer period of time. Helmets are a type of personal protective equipment and they should fit properly and snugly in order to provide your child with the needed protection.
Kids Beach Toys
Assuming that your little one is into sports and loves spending lots of his time outdoors, then he would probably not mind spending more time at the pool/beach as well. And since we are getting close to summer, now’s the perfect time to surprise your little one with a beach toy. Available in numerous types and styles, today’s kids beach toys are colourful and fun, and the best of all is they can meet all quality and safety standards.
This can give you peace of mind that your child will stay safe. If your boy loves playing any type of sport that has a ball, you can always pamper him with a high-bounce ball, soccer ball, grip ball or a pop-up soccer goal. But there are also many other toys to choose from, like a foamy aeroplane that he can throw at the beach and play with friends, a cricket set, or wing blades.
To ensure he stays safe when playing in the water, you can invest in the right size of swim west or ring. In case he loves to see what’s underwater, you can also invest in a quality pair of goggles. Choose from the huge range of regular goggles or the ones that come as a face mask that he could use for role-playing later on.
Truth be told, you can gear up with any type of beach toy, and the fun and physical activity for your child will be guaranteed. Just make sure not to skip on checking the product’s quality and safety standards, since safety should come first. Ideally, shop from a trusted store that can provide you with beach toys coming from good brands known for their quality.
Tennis Racquet
Tennis is a great sport that will help your boy improve physical strength, balance, flexibility and fine motor skills, but above all, it’ll keep your child healthy. It’s a great way for helping your child improve his immune system, so treating him with a tennis racket would be a great way to introduce him to this sport as well. When it comes to choosing a good and comfortable tennis racket the first thing you should have in mind is finding the right size.
This is essential in reducing the chances of injuries by choosing too big, too small or too heavy designs. Unlike adult rackets for tennis which are categorised by their head size, children’s are categorised by their length which usually corresponds to their age. That being said, children of up to 8 years should use 17, 19 and 21 inches rackets since they are lightweight and specifically made for their young muscles.
Usually, these rackets come pre-strung and should be mainly chosen by age and not by skill level. That being said, children of 2 – 3 years of age should use a 17 inches racket, those up to 4 years of age should use a 19-inch racket, those between 5 and 6 years of age should use a 21-inch racket and those between 7 and 8 years of age should use even above – a 23-inch racket.
For children between 9 and 10 years of age, the chosen tennis racket should rather be based on skill level and on-court experience. For instance, a 25-inch racket can range from recreational and beginner to performance level, and usually, they differ in weight whereas the heavier is designed for the more skilled and competitive children.
The same can be said about choosing rackets for children aged 11. Usually, rackets for them are around 26 inches and are a bit heavier than the 25-inch models since they are designed to help them have an easier and safer transition towards the adult types of rackets.
Roller Skates
Roller skates are quite popular among both children and adults. They’re a fun way to spend a lot of time outdoors with friends while being physically active. Aside from just riding in the neighbourhood or parks, children quite often make a competition which in most cases is good for becoming more inquisitive.
Competing between themselves with roller skates can also help your child learn to work and communicate, and most importantly teach him how to win/lose without bragging/being mad. All of these things are great for preparing your child for future situations of different kinds.
Choosing the right skates is quite easy these days thanks to the huge array of dazzling models differing in size, appearance, style, colour and design. While all of this matters to please your boy’s eyes, the thing you should focus more on is the type and quality. Generally speaking, you can choose between quad and inline skates, with quad skates being the most preferred choice for little children because they have less strength in their legs and ankles.
Durable and appealing quad skates have four wheels, two in the front and two in the back to provide a better balance which isn’t the case with inline skates where the wheels are in line. So, whether your boy will be rolling with his new skates or standing still, he’ll have balance all the time which will reduce the chances of falls and injuries. Additionally, he won’t need any practice for using quads while this is almost impossible with inline skates.
Choose quality and comfortable skates by paying more attention to the material. Usually, vinyl, genuine leather and suede are among the most quality materials that will add more comfort to your child’s feet. But you also shouldn’t forget about choosing the right size, because comfort wouldn’t be achieved only by choosing the right material. Same as with tennis shoes, skates also allow for choosing one size up that your child can compensate for by wearing thicker socks or by tightening the skates a bit more.
