Is your child the next Ninja Warrior? Here are some athletic skills they can practice at home, or anywhere

While physical activity is great for kids’ health, it can sometimes be hard to encourage them to practice sports skills, particularly if it’s rainy or cold outside.

We’ve put together few athletic activities your little ones can learn and practice to increase their agility, strength and balance.

Whether your child wants to be the next Ninja Warrior, handball champion or an Olympic gymnast, they’ll be able to hone their skills with these fun challenges!

Hacky Sack

You probably remember Hacky Sack from when you were young, a game that involves kicking and bouncing small bean-filled bag with your feet, keeping it up in the air as long as possible. It’s a great (and fun!) way to build motor skills and co-ordination in children.

There are a number of drills your kids can try in the garage, such as bouncing it from one foot to the other, off a wall, or from their knee to their foot. The garage is the ideal space for kids to have fun without the risk of bouncing it too high and damaging any heirlooms in the home!

Handball

For many youngsters, the ritual of handball on the playground is a daily pastime. Utilising the wall of a garage (preferably a brick one) is a great way to build up their skill set in a safe way.

First, make sure there’s no vehicle that could be damaged by an activity. Bounce the tennis ball in different directions against a wall, making sure to change hands often to encourage pivoting and hand-eye co-ordination.

If your walls connect to your home, we recommend swapping out the tennis ball for a bouncy ball or ping pong ball. That way, they can still hone their skills without damaging your walls.

Gymnastics or athletics

Climbing frames, tumbling and dance are often associated with extracurricular activities. On those rainy days or times when the kids need to burn off some energy, they can still have fun practicing their technique and becoming the next Ninja Warrior!

To start, make sure that the space is clean and free of clutter, and that you’ve added some soft mats for safety. Kids could try practicing handstands or splits, or cartwheels and tumbling.

Alternatively, you could use wooden planks covered in a blanket or mat for children to practice their balance. Soft blocks can be added for obstacles, and you can even create a tunnel by using a sheet and some chairs! There are endless possibilities to improve their agility, balance and co-ordination in a safe way.

 Bean bag toss

The bean bag toss is a great way for kids to practice their hand eye co-ordination – and let’s face it, they just love to throw things! You could build one yourself with wood, or easily use objects from around the home, such as an old cardboard box, a hula hoop or a small bucket.

Use small bean bags (or put some rice into a sock) and have kids practicing throwing their bags into the hole.

These skills can increase a child’s strength, agility and balance, while also being fun and exciting.

Once you’ve set up their preferred activity, ensure that the area is safe and secure with the Chamberlain Obstruction Detection Beams. These are designed to reverse the garage door in two seconds if their barrier is crossed by a child, pet or rogue ball!

For more garage improvement ideas or to browse Chamberlain’s range of garage door openers and accessories, visit our website or call 0800 653 667.