There are numerous benefits to having your kids participate in sports, especially when they have the opportunity to try more than one. For me, the main goal has always been to keep my kids active and having fun, but I often hear, “Your kids do so many activities, aren’t you tired?” And the truth is, not at all. I see so much value in everything they’re learning along the way. The biggest plus for us? They absolutely love it.

One day, instead of snowboarding, my daughter decided she wanted to try skiing. At just five years old, without much thought, she and her cousin swapped gear and headed straight for the bunny hill. I was nervous; I had no advice to give her since I’m a snowboarder, but she didn’t need any help. She hit the hill and didn’t skip a beat, picking it up right away. That’s when I realized the real value of playing multiple sports and how the balance and coordination she built in hockey transitioned over into skiing.

Since then, I’ve noticed how much my kids learn just by trying different sports. Each one works their bodies in new ways: building strength, speed, balance, coordination, and overall health and fitness, without them even realizing it, because they’re too busy having fun.

The Government of Canada points out that regular physical activity helps children develop strong hearts, muscles, and bones, maintain a healthy weight, and lower the risk of chronic illnesses. It even reduces the chances of tobacco, alcohol, or drug use later in life and improves mental health by boosting mood, energy, and overall well-being. Most importantly, making movement part of kids’ lives early on sets them up for the future. Adults who stay active experience less fatigue, maintain strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination as they age, and even have lower rates of bone loss associated with osteoporosis.

Kids don’t need to be in competitive sports to experience these benefits. I know sports can be expensive, and for many families, that can be a real challenge. But recreational sports, community programs, or even simple activities you do together as a family are just as valuable. The goal isn’t medals or trophies, it’s keeping kids moving, learning new skills, and most importantly, having fun along the way.

Different coaches bring different teaching styles too, so my kids are learning to listen, adapt, and figure things out on their own. Playing multiple sports keeps things fresh and exciting. There’s less chance of burnout or overuse injuries because they’re not repeating the same movements all the time. Instead, they’re staying active, building confidence, and picking up life skills like problem-solving and perseverance, all while being kids.  The Benefits of Being a Multi-Sport Athlete for Kids  shows that multi-sport participation develops well-rounded athletes while reducing the risk of overuse injuries, psychological strain, and burnout.

All of this ties directly into the importance of physical development. The variety of movements and activities builds a stronger, healthier foundation for their growing bodies. It’s not just about learning a sport; it’s about developing coordination, strength, flexibility, and the confidence to try new things, both in and out of sport.

I truly believe that getting my kids moving in many different ways through multiple sports will set them up for a lifetime of physical health and wellness without them even having to think about it. Sports, movement, and activity will simply be part of their everyday lives, even into adulthood. Project Play’s 2015 report with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at Harvard University revealed that 77% of adults over 30 who currently play sports also participated as children, while only 3% of current adult athletes had no sports involvement in their youth. Which leads me to the question I often ask when people comment on my kids trying all these different sports: “If not now, when?” Childhood is the time to explore, to build those skills, and to discover what they love. Waiting until later could mean missing out on all the physical, mental, and social benefits that sports have to offer.

And that’s really the point. I’m not trying to raise professional athletes. I’m raising healthy, confident kids who love to move. Keeping sports fun and varied gives them the tools for a lifetime of physical health, resilience, and the confidence to take on whatever challenge comes next, on the field or off it.