Is your kid interested in sports? They are a great tool for growth, for everything from building physical endurance, mental acuity, to socialization. If you haven’t considered exposing your kids to sports, it may be worth thinking about. However, there is also the other side of the coin; you want to make absolutely sure your kids are safe and in good hands. Here at Rebounderz, we have safety personnel present at all times at our Apopka trampoline park. That doesn’t mean you can’t take extra steps to ensure their safety, though. To that end, here are some sports safety tips for parents with young children.

Pre-Participation Physical Exam

The pre-participation physical exam (PPE) is a checklist to ensure your child doesn’t have any health issues that may cause them harm from the physical stresses common in sports. It should be performed by a licensed professional. Some organizations require this, but not all. If you think your child may have health problems that could cause them injury while playing sports, it’s best to play safe and see a doctor first.

Warm Up

Usually this is something the coach will take care of, but you can also instill the importance of warm ups before serious physical exertion to your child. Make sure they know that a five to ten minute warmup will help them prevent injuries, pulled muscles, and other types of pain. Once you’ve made it a habit, it’s likely something they’ll carry long into adulthood.

Hydrate

Another important lesson to instill in your children is that they must stay hydrated when they exercise. Not only should they have a full water bottle before ever leaving for a game or practice, but also make sure that they know the signs of dehydration. It’s also good to pre-hydrate before exercise, and it never hurts to talk to the coach to make sure they’re getting regular water breaks.

Proper Equipment

There’s a reason that most sports equipment is standardized, and it’s not just because it might give competitors an edge. Not only should you make sure your child has all the appropriate gear for their sports, but it’s important to make sure that gear fits their size. This minimizes any chance of injury.

Know Signs of Injury

Likely, your kid’s coach will be well versed with this type of thing, but it’s important for you, and even your child, to be aware of when an injury is too serious to play on. Concussions are a great example of something that can possibly be overlooked, to the detriment of health. Here is a quick overview of what to look for to see if your child is concussed. When in doubt about a child’s injury, it’s better to play it safe and sit them out.

Schedule Rests

Overuse injury is extremely common in organized sports, so it’s something you need to protect your kids from. As with most items on this list, chances are your coach is aware of this, but it never hurts to be proactive. Before enrolling your kid in a sport, make sure that regular rest breaks are scheduled.

In the vast majority of cases, the social, physical, and mental benefits of enrolling your child in sports will be a huge net benefit. It’s in our nature as parents to worry, but as long as we’re taking steps to prevent injury we shouldn’t beat ourselves up about it too much. Here at Rebounderz, we offer basketball and dodgeball activities at our Apopka trampoline park. Rebounderz safety personnel will be watching over everyone, so you can rest assured that your kids are in good hands. If you have any questions about our trampoline park or activities, please give us a call today for more information.