Ienjoy sports—all sports! God gave me three sons who enjoy sports—all sports! Not everyone feels this way, though, so this can cause you to question: do homeschoolers really need sports
and physical education (P.E.)?
I would recommend knowing what the
requirements are of the state/province you
live in. Some require at least one credit in
Physical Education, while others allow it to
remain an elective. Once you establish what
you must adhere to, then you can become
creative!
Sports
Sports aren’t necessarily a need. However, if
you have opportunity for your child to par-
ticipate in an organized sport of some kind,
then go for it! Why? Because sports can
build character in a child, teach teamwork,
Sports are a bonus if done through a
Christian organization because you don’t
have the dilemma of choosing between
a sports event, church event, and family
event. Most Christian organizations will
take into account the events that typically
occur at churches. Because of this, they do
not schedule practices and games on those
days or times.
If you choose a public sports event to
participate in, be careful to guard your children and their friendships. Communicate
clearly what you expect of their behavior,
and the behavior of the other children and
parents. Talk about issues that come up on
the sidelines or team practice. These discussions can leave a long lasting impact on a
child’s character.
What is the end goal of choosing to have
your child play sports? While it can be of
great benefit in some ways, it could also hinder what a parent is trying to accomplish.
“Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from
it” (Proverbs 22: 6). Consider what is important to you and your family. If playing sports
is important, there are many opportunities
in your local community to participate.
Physical Education
Physical Education is a little broader topic. I recall doing all kinds of things in my
school days that were not necessarily organized sports, but rather, skill building activities. We completed obstacle courses and
balance activities. We were given eye-hand
coordination tasks and endurance building tasks to complete. Skill challenges were
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
Homeschool Sports & P.E.
by Jodi Riddle
Do Homeschoolers
Need Sports and
Physical Education?
Sports can build character in a child, teach teamwork, and
engage in disciplines of commitment and responsibility.
