Sportsmanship Games for Kids

Teaching your children good sportsmanship is one of the hallmarks of good parenting. No one wants to play with children who mock others when they win a game, just as no one enjoys competing against children who throw temper tantrums when they lose. Fortunately, parents can try several games at home designed to teach their children the importance of good sportsmanship. This is a skill that your children will rely on throughout their entire lives.

  1. Soccer is a Good Start

    • Soccer is one of the best games in which to teach your children the value of good sportsmanship. First, it's an easy game for even the youngest of players to play. Secondly, soccer players must work as a team---passing the ball to one another, setting up good shots---to be successful. The outcome of a game rarely depends on a key play by one particular player. Leagues that don't use goalies are even better for teaching children how to be good winners or losers.

      Many leagues for young players don't keep score or standings. Instead of concentrating on who won or lost, this allows coaches to encourage players to cheer for one another and congratulate others on good plays without worrying about a final score.

    Relay Races

    • Children learn the basics of sportsmanship by working together with teammates. One of the easiest ways for parents to foster this at home is to organize family or neighborhood relay races. This allows children to race with partners with whom they must work together. Again, these races will be won or lost as a team, reducing the finger pointing and blame that fosters bad sportsmanship.

    Helping A Younger Sibling

    • Kids don't have to learn sportsmanship strictly through sporting competitions. Parents can teach sportsmanship through something as low energy as a board game. Parents can set up a family board-game night and encourage older children to team up with their younger siblings. This will force the older children to help their younger siblings learn and master the board game, instilling in them the good-sportsmanship values of teamwork and helping along a less-skilled teammate.

    Martial Arts

    • Enrolling your children in some form of martial arts is a good way to teach them the basics of sportsmanship. Martial arts focuses on both individual skills and teamwork. Students often work together during lessons to help each other master complicated techniques. Martial arts also stresses self-discipline and discourages the emotional outbursts that are often a sign of bad sportsmanship. Martial arts teaches children that they should respect their opponents, whether they beat them in a match or lose to them.

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