For this midterm examination, I have chosen to look more closely at the age group that is considered middle childhood (8-12 years old). For this age group there are many different developmental considerations that should be understood when planning a youth sport program. While children are in this age group, they are slowly beginning to understand the concepts of sports and sportsmanship itself. These children are growing in many ways, physically, socially, emotionally, and mentally. This is an important stage in a child’s life and many things taught will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Many aspects must be considered when developing a youth sport program for ages 8-12 years old. Children this age are often a bundle of energy, to wanting to run around and explore. This age group tends to be interested in the social aspects of life, becoming friends with others and even making “best friends”. The attention span of children in this age bracket is usually extremely …show more content…
They are still beginning to understand other people’s thought and grasp the recognition of their own actions. Children this age need a role model who they can look up to and emulate their actions. It is very crucial for a role model figure to display poise and understanding when dealing with children, and to realize that the children look up to them for guidance. It is also important to instill in the children the rules of the activities/games and make sure that they know and adhere to the rules. Making these rules as simple and short as possible will greatly help the facilitator. This will be a crucial part to the success of the youth sport program because it will enforce guidelines and not allow a “free-for-all” play attitude. The programs must be structured, but not so much structure that the children become frustrated or lose