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Ten Exercise Activities for Non-Sporty Kids

My oldest son has never been “sporty”.  He never wanted to join soccer and he couldn’t care less about football or baseball.  If it’s competitive, he’s not interested.  He has many wonderful talents and qualities, but sports is not one of them, at least yet.  (He’s in middle school)   He may be in the minority of his generation that practically came out of the womb playing soccer, but he’s not the only one.  So here’s a list of some active things that he and some of his friends *do* enjoy.  Just because you’re not on a team doesn’t mean you can’t find something active that fits your personality and talents.

1. Walking– Going for a walk is easy and fun.  It’s also something the entire family can do together.  Find a nature trail where you can spy on some wildlife.

2. Disc Golf or Frisbee– There are several parks in the area with disc golf courses.  My son’s school recently even started a disc golf club.  Frisbee is perfect in the yard or at the beach this summer.

3. Roller Skating or Roller Blading– Indoors or outdoors both of my kids love skating.  We went to Play it Again Sports and got a couple of used pairs of skates to get them started. Also, lately Skate World has been running Groupons so you can coordinate a cheap afternoon date with the kids.  Even *I* enjoy skating!

4. “Rock Climbing”-There are several places you can take your kids to climb a “rock wall”.  Planet Rock is one of our favorites but also some gyms have walls for the kids to work on.  I’ve done it myself and it’s exhilarating and a serious workout!

5. Biking– Most every kid loves biking.  Even more fun if you find different routes or trails to bike on.  MetroParks are a perfect spot or Dodge Park.

6. Yoga– My son’s teacher started doing this in the mornings at school with his class and once in a while he enjoys doing a few poses with me.  It’s an excellent stress reliever too.

7.  Ropes Courses– As of lately, there have been several parks opening up with high ropes courses, including Stony Metro Park and West Bloomfield Adventure Center.  If your child isn’t scared of heights these are a lot of fun and a great challenge!

8. Trampoline Time– Easily one of my kids’ favorite activities.  If you’re looking to burn off some energy jumping will definitely do the trick.

9. Martial Arts- Not the typical sport but definitely worth considering because it teaches discipline, strength, balance, respect and so much more.

10. Swimming-  Another huge energy burner and also a good life skill to develop.  Indoors during the winter and outdoors in the summer, my kids enjoy swimming year round and so do I!

I hope you can find something on this list your non-sporty kid can enjoy being active with.  Other suggestions I forgot to mention?  Please share and comment below.

Theresa W
Author: Theresa W

Theresa is a wife and stay at home mother of 2 boys, David (13) and Aiden (10). Her hobbies include traveling, reading, running, cooking and volunteering at MI Humane Society with the adoptable cats. She also spends her free time serving as PTO President at her son's elementary school. She enjoys being active and is proud to have completed 4 marathons. She loves to share her passion for health and fitness with others.