The Best Individual Sports for Kids

I’m a huge advocate for traditional youth team sports, but understand that team sports aren’t for everyone. Some kids may have anxiety, may be more introverted, or wants a physically active sport, but just doesn’t like traditional team sports. Youth team sports offer many amazing benefits, but individual sports for kids also provides many positive attributes.

An individual sport is any activity that focuses more on the outcome of the individual’s performance than the outcome of the team. Individual sports can still provide a competitive environment for kids and include others, so it isn’t that individual sports completely foregos any social interactions with others. Let’s take a look at some of the best individual sports to consider for your kids and their benefits.

Karate

Karate is a martial art form that teaches self-defense techniques.

Karate teaches how to counter an attack through various blocks, chops, kicks, and punches.

Karate incorporates full body movement by utilizing the body’s core, feet, legs, arms and hands.

Benefits of Karate

• Teaches about anti-bullying
• Helps fight against obesity
• Teaches kids how to show respect to others and themselves
• Builds self-confidence
• Improves coordination and motor skills
• Kids learn how to focus and listen
• Social skills
• Utilize self-control
• Fun for the entire family
• Indoor activity
• Kids can go at their own pace

Running

Running is probably one of the cheapest activity that your kids can do.

It can pretty much be done anywhere and provides different variations to meet your child’s needs.

There are running clubs if kids still want that socialization component to running or it could just be something they do as stress relief.

Running doesn’t have to come with the pressures of competing, but competing in races is always an option.

Benefits of Running

• Great for inner focus
• Beneficial for attention and learning
• Release brain boosting endorphins
• Can learn goal setting
• Awesome cardio workout
• Helps kids stay fit

Equestrian

Riding horses for show or competition is Equestrian.

There are different forms of Equestrian like showjumping which is designed for horses to jump over objects.

Dressage is when horses display various moves and show obedience to the riders.

Cross country involves more of a fast-paced horse galloping activity.

Benefits of Equestrian

• It can relax the muscles
• Get’s kids outdoors in nature
• Helps with emotional regulation
• Learn how to bond with animals
• Teaches competition
• Strengthens problem solving
• Improves physical health

Fishing

Fishing can be both recreational or for sport.

Fishing tournaments can be held on various bodies of water with differing expectations.

Some tournaments may ask for participants to try to catch the most fish of a designated species, while others require catching the largest sized fish.

Typically a duration of time is set for the match and it could be offshore fishing or based out of a boat.

Benefits of Fishing

• Helps kids to learn patience
• Develops an appreciation for the outdoors
• Teaching kids perseverance
• Learn focus and concentration
• Independence
• Connect with a community
• Works on motor skills and coordination

Golf

Golf is an outdoor game played on a large open course.

Golf typically consists of 9 or 18 holes on the course.

The object is to hit the golf ball into the hole using a club in the fewest amount of strokes possible.

Each hole has a predetermined amount of strokes that it should take to get the ball into the hole called par.

Benefits of Golf

• Learning to practice to develop skills
• How to exercise control
• Can be a family event
• Build friendships
• Strengthens core and flexibility
• Enjoy the outdoors
• Teaches Etiquette

Dance

My daughter really enjoys dance and my wife and I get a thrill from seeing them perform.

There are so many different types of dance that there is literally something for everyone.

Dance can be competitive or just a great outlet for kids.

I thoroughly enjoy seeing my girls grow in dance.

Benefits of Dance

• Thinking creatively
• Channel energy in a positive way
• Be able to provide an outlet to express themselves
• Great cardio workout
• Build Self-Esteem

Yoga

Yoga is a great fitness activity that allows kids to break away from competition.

Being in the social work profession, mindfulness strategies have become a major trend in adolescent behavioral health.

Yoga can really benefit kids with alleviating anxiety, stress, depression, through breathing and the physical fitness of yoga.

Benefits of Yoga

• Build a strong and flexible body
• Develop inner focus
• Can still have a group feel
• Can be great to relieve mental health disorders through breathing exercises and mindfulness
• Become more aware of your body

Tennis

Tennis is one of the sports that is really a blast to play, but often gets overlooked.

Tennis is an excellent sport for those kids that prefer to step away from team sports.

In tennis, kids can challenge themselves and works well for those with intrinsic motivation.

Whatever your kid’s goals are, tennis can be a competitive sport played in high school or just a fun activity.

Benefits of Tennis

• Hand-Eye Coordination
• Building speed and strength
• Excellent cardiovascular exercise
• Can be both individual and partners
• Great for motor coordination

Skateboarding

One thing great about skateboarding is that it’s something that you can pick up on your own.

It doesn’t really take a lot of coaching or specialized training to become a decent skateboarder.

As long as you have a skateboard, concrete, along with some time to put into it, you can learn how to skate.

Skateboarding has become a niche extreme sport with a competitive side but mainly seems to be recreational.

Benefits of Skateboarding

• Great stress relief
• Provide a calorie burn
• Connect with a community
• A positive way to get an adrenaline rush
• Build pain tolerance
• Stable metabolism

Cheerleading

Cheerleading is a lot more than just waving some pom poms around.

Cheering takes careful planning and choreography to create a cheer that’s in sync.

Cheerleading has a lot of physical fitness activity through balancing and tumbling.

Cheerleading is more of a team sport, but I noted it here because it does have a lot of individual components.

Benefits of Cheerleading

• Boosts confidence
• Tumbling improves flexibility
• Learn to build trust in others
• Positive communication skills
• Having a positive attitude
• Coordination and balance

Gymnastics

Similar to a few of the other sports listed in that it can be done individually, but also has a team component.

Gymnastics can provide for intense physical conditioning.

Gymnasts perform at various competitions on events scored on an individual basis and/or team.

Gymnastics can be super competitive and takes a lot of practice to master different routines.

Benefits of Gymnastics

• Increase flexibility
• Fights obesity
• Blood circulation to prevent diseases like diabetes
• Build strength, speed, agility, coordination, and balance
• Strong Bones
• Improve cognitive skills through learning routines

Surfing

Surfing is physically demanding and provides a great full body workout.

It takes a strong swimmer to be able to get involved in surfing, so if you are looking to start your kids in surf, then make sure they’ve had swim lessons.

Surfing is mainly done for recreation but could lead to something more competitive for the more elite surfers.

Benefits of Surfing

• Conquer fears
• Burns of energy
• Helps with confidence
• Overcoming challenges
• Fun to be in the water during warm weather

Snowboarding

Snowboarding has blossomed into a major Olympic sport over the last couple of decades.

Snowboarding can provide a wonderful outlet for your kids during winter conditions.

Snowboarding provides a positive way for kids to get an adrenaline rush especially for kids that like to take risks.

Benefits of Snowboarding

• How to be self-aware
• Confidence builder
• Stay active when weather leads to staying indoors
• Environmental awareness
• Strengthening core and balance
• Cardio workout

Chess

Chess isn’t physically exerting like many of the sports listed, but it does challenge the mind.

Chess is definitely competitive but is great for those kids that are more thinker personality types.

Benefits of Chess

• Thinking strategically
• Helps to improve focus and attention span
• Can increase IQ
• Uses your whole brain
• How to plan and think ahead
• Improve memory
• How to compete

Bowling

Bowling leagues are available to help kids develop bowling skills and athletic ability.

I never really thought about bowling being a physical fitness activity, but it really is.

Kids don’t have to worry about trying out to make a team in bowling.

Everyone gets to participate equally. Bowling is a sport that kids will have fun within a competitive or recreational setting.

Benefits of Bowling

• Uses many different muscles
• Knowledge of nutrition and fitness
• Opportunities for older kids to mentor younger kids and be involved in bowling organizations
• Make new friends
• Understanding angles and mechanics

Ice Skating

Ice skating is a challenging activity that will take practice to become skilled at, so it’s going to take someone that is committed to putting in the practice time.

Even though ice skating equates to cold weather conditions, ice skating can be done indoors year round.

Ice skating can be fun for the whole family to do.

Check out my post on how parents and kids can be active together.

Benefits of Ice Skating

• Gets the blood pumping and good for heart and lungs
• Builds Leg muscles
• Helps with joints
• A cardio activity that helps manage body weight
• Provides a challenge

There are many great individual sports for kids that are often disregarded, that I’ve highlighted in this post.

Individual sports provide many unique opportunities for your kids to thrive.

I hope that you find something for your child to get involved in and find rewarding.

Please comment below on anything that you enjoyed from this post.