Raising an Active Girl

As the parent of a daughter, have you thought about how to raise her as an active girl—one who pursues sports for fun and fitness? While girls' participation in sports is far more accepted than it was even a generation or two ago, daughters still need your encouragement to become athletes.

Practical Prep

Right from the start, girls need opportunities for active play. That means time, space, and opportunity for physical activity (a few fun toys help too).

Enrolling her in baby swim lessons or toddler tumbling isn't required. Just make sure she has plenty of chances to crawl, run, wiggle, and jump, whether it's in your living room, backyard, local park, or at her child care center. All of the above is even better!

Preschool-age kids, both boys and girls, need help learning and strengthening motor skills. That means giving them helpful feedback as they try to master a skill like throwing or catching a ball. Parents may be less likely to offer these pointers to girls, so make an extra effort with your daughter. That goes double for dads, who tend to play more actively with their kids; this can really benefit girls.

As your girl grows, continue providing those opportunities for activity, whether it means biking together or having her join a Little League baseball team. Many youth sports are co-ed these days. This gives girls the chance to try many different sports, but be alert to any teasing by teammates or favoritism from coaches.

It's not necessarily common, but it happens. Being involved (as a team parent, assistant coach, or avid spectator) helps make you aware of any problems and puts you in a better position to help solve them. And if your daughter does prefer a traditionally female activity, like cheerleading or dance?

Bring it on. It's still a sport!

In the teen years, participation in sports and fitness can drop off. Girls may be less interested in competition or feel more drawn to other activities, like music or academics. That's fine, but do encourage some other regular, noncompetitive physical activity, whether it's biking to school, shooting baskets at home, or taking a weekly yoga class.

Sideline Support

Your support, both verbal and nonverbal, will go a long way toward raising an active girl. Lavish her with praise when she performs well, but also when she sets a goal, tries something challenging, or helps a teammate. Be specific and positive with your comments. Not every girl (or boy!) is naturally competitive. Some do better when you frame competition as a personal challenge: can she improve her best time or try to learn a new, advanced skill?

Remember that moms are big role models for girls. If you participated in sports as a kid, tell her about it, especially when she hits a rough patch. Participate in sports and fitness activities now, too—remember the adage about actions speaking louder than words?

Let her see you sweat! Better yet, do so together. You can also expose your daughter to other female role models: Introduce her to a neighbor who runs marathons, or take her to see a women's team at a local college (that's one of 11 ways to support women's sports--do them together!).