A study of Dutch school children indicates that participation in team sports correlates with increased executive function in children. The study followed 880 Dutch children from 2006 through 2017. The researchers used meters to measure physical activity in children at ages 5 to 6 and questionnaires to assess sports participation in children ages 10 to 11. The study then had parents complete a questionnaire that measures executive function. “Executive function” is a phrase that encompasses thinking skills that children need to organize facts, remember details, make decisions, and stay focused.
The researchers found no correlation between general physical activity and the various subscales on the questionnaire. Time spent in sports, however, whether team or individual, was associated with better behavior regulation and working memory. Team sports, however, showed a much greater correlation with executive function than individual sports.
The study also found differing correlations for differing sports. Playing soccer was associated with better overall executive function, while playing volleyball was associated only with better inhibition. Martial arts, by contrast, was associated with poorer inhibition. The researchers noted that the individual sports results likely were tainted by the small numbers of students engaged in sports such as martial arts.
The researchers speculate that the enhanced benefits of team sports reflect “inherent characteristics” of the sports. “Team sports are likely to incorporate high cognitive demands due to uncertainty from interactions with teammates and opponents; thus, players must rapidly and dynamically respond, such as by using inhibition to resist distraction from other players and working memory to recall locations.” It seems that other team activities, such as theater and volunteer projects, might offer similar benefits. To date, however, there is no research showing such a correlation.
This team sports study is in line with previous research showing the benefits of organized sports for children. Those benefits include both physical and mental health benefits. It is important to note that the Dutch study found no increased benefits at ages 5-6 correlated with team sports. Prior research also shows that highly structured play has limited benefits in young children. They benefit much more from free play. As the American Academy of Pediatrics noted, “Ample opportunity for free play is necessary, especially in the preschool and elementary school years, when the basic skills needed for organized sports are being developed and combined (e.g., kicking while running).”
The takeaway from this most recent study for us as parents is that, when we can, we need to encourage free play in our younger children and team activities in our older children. Of course, we have to work with our kids' preferences and abilities. They may enjoy individual sports more than team sports, and they may be better at martial arts than volleyball. We should never made a decision about our kids based on only a single (and relatively small) research study. However, we should pay attention to the trend and encourage the things that lots of research is showing us -- physical activity and team activities (whether sports or volunteer work) will help teach our kids irreplaceable life skills.
...
