Think your little one has the potential to be a top athlete? Take our quiz to discover which sport they should give a go. The tool uses a series of personality-based questions to identify which discipline your child might excel in, following a summer brimming with sporting excitement.
The quiz comes after research showed that British children have been most inspired to take up swimming, football and tennis after this year’s summer of sport.
A survey of 1,000 kids aged six to 12 revealed that 83% are eager to start a new sport after watching recent events such as the Euros and Wimbledon.
An impressive 86% are keen to try a new activity this year and among the 76% of youngsters who tuned into the Olympics, 79% are now itching to try something new as a result. Interestingly, 75% believe they have ample energy to take on at least two new sports.
The study was commissioned by filled crepe makers Whaoo! who have developed the tool to help parents pinpoint new sports for their children to try.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Kids have boundless energy, and the research has shown a busy summer of sport has them motivated to try something new. There’s no doubting the Olympics can leave a mark on young people and motivate them to push themselves outside their comfort zone and try something new.”
“But not only that, England’s run to the Euros final and elite tennis played at Wimbledon will have inspired children to get out there and be the next superstars for this country.”
(Image: Getty Images)
The study showed that 83% of parents are keen for their child to try a new sport, with 67% noting their child has been discussing the sporting events they’ve witnessed this summer. Moreover, 52% have observed their kids mimicking the sports they’ve seen on TV with their mates.
However, the expense of equipment, maintaining interest, and finding time to transport them to new activities were identified as the biggest hurdles.
In terms of keeping them fuelled for their sporting endeavours, three quarters of parents always strive to have a delicious snack ready for them to consume. Meanwhile, 81% of children admitted that their first thoughts after physical activity revolve around what they can eat, with 59% craving something sweet, according to the OnePoll data.
The survey also found that children were awestruck, thrilled and amazed by what they saw in the Olympics. But while 45% would favour team sports, 33% were attracted to the idea of pursuing something individually.
Half would rather participate in an outdoor sport like rugby or cycling, while 30% would choose an indoor activity such as gymnastics or martial arts.
Interestingly, 36% believed some sports were exclusively for boys and others for girls, while 49% disagreed – and one in six were uncertain. Among those who don’t believe gender influences interest in sports, 57% were women compared to 41% men.
A representative from Whaoo! commented: “The research has shown parents are keen to fuel the new interest children have in the sports they’ve seen this summer. Interestingly, kids are looking to consume something straight after taking part following major exertion.”
“They also expressed a desire for something sweet to give them a much-needed energy boost.”
TOP 10 SPORTS KIDS WOULD LIKE TO TRY AFTER WATCHING THEM THIS SUMMER:
- Swimming
- Football
- Tennis
- Athletics
- Gymnastics
- Basketball
- Cycling
- Skateboarding
- Trampoline
- Boxing