Creative coaching equipment for the very young
Originally published on 17/09/15
With obesity levels on the rise it’s no surprise that getting children off the sofa and into the park is a major priority for the UK government.
One in every five children in the UK aged 10 to 11 are obese, and levels have trebled in the last three decades. A report published by the government in March 20151 found that adult obesity levels have doubled in the last two decades and that almost one in five children aged 10-11 are obese.
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It is estimated that by 2030, up to 48% of men and 43% of women could be obese if current trends continue.
A healthy diet and regular exercise are two simple ways to prevent childhood obesity. It is recommended that all children should be physically active for at least one hour every day. As well as helping children maintain a healthy weight it helps build strong muscles and healthy bones.
Introducing children to ball games at an early age helps develop hand-eye co-ordination and agility skills but is an easy and healthy way to keep them entertained.
“Remember that the best way to develop skill and confidence is practice,” says Beverley Edwards, director at Zsig. “But fun is even more important.
“Our Kick Start coaching equipment for very young children is designed to develop hand-eye co-ordination and agility skills, building gradually as your child gains in confidence in ability.”
Try out the Balloon Ball and Happy Face – perfect for young children and inclusive groups.
The washable stretchy Balloon Ball cover adds weight to the balloon so it performs more like a ball, but with slower pace. Simply insert a standard sized balloon into the cover, blow it up and get playing.
“The Balloon Ball is a superb starter ball for teaching young children tracking, catching and striking skills,” says Beverley. “And no scary burst balloons. Plus it gives a great sound when you hit it.”
Zsig recommends: For young children, as well as a simple throw and catch, try catching your Velcro-friendly Balloon Ball on a Zsig sticky Happy Face. For older kids, the Balloon Ball is brilliant for long volleyball rallies over a volleyball height Zsignet.
“The Easy Catch Happy Face is two-faced, but in a good way,” explains Beverley. “There’s the Velcro side, which lets a child catch a Balloon Ball easily on its sticky surface, thereby practising tracking a ball and coordinating a response. And because it’s easy to succeed, there are happy faces all round.
“The smooth side is a progression and adds difficulty. As their skills develop, turn the Happy Face over to its smooth side and practise tapping or volleying the Balloon Ball in the air, or buy two and play with a partner.”
1 “Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2015”
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