How to get your child ready for sports day

It's an epic summer for sport, with the Euros, Olympics and Paralympics all taking place. But maybe no event comes with quite as much excitement, anticipation and anxiety as your child's sports day!

Whether they're a sports day veteran or this is their first go around, sports day can stir up all sorts of emotions for those taking part. Some will be excited to show off their sporting prowess in front of their peers, while others will feel a looming sense of dread at the idea of competing in front of classmates.

But whatever your child's feeling, Parents' Toolkit have your back, with five top tips for how to help your child this sports day.

Get ready the night before

If your child is already nervous for their sports day, the last thing you want is a mad panic on the morning of.

Getting everything sorted the night before can help ease some anxiety on the day, as you don't have to run around worrying about unpacked kit, lack of sun-cream or snack deficiencies.

Being prepped and ready the night before means that when the day comes, you can devote all your attention to making sure your child feels safe, happy and comfortable.

Talk to the school

If your child is anxious about taking part in any games or activities, you should make sure that their teacher or school knows too, so you can find workarounds together.

It might be that the teacher has a little chat with your child, to try and find the root of their anxieties, or the school may put alternate arrangements in place - such as allowing your child to help run a refreshment stand, or to cheer on their peers from the sidelines.

Practise makes perfect

Everyone feels anxiety when doing something for the first time, especially if they have to do it in front of lots of other people. So one way of easing your child's worry is to practise with them beforehand. Whether that's practising the exact activity or race they'll be involved in (which may not always be possible, not everyone has a spare sack lying around for sack-race-rehearsal), or just practising some sport in general, having a little go away from prying eyes might make the race feel a little less scary.

It might also be useful for your child to find out that their parent isn't perfect at said activity either, which could help remove feelings of pressure and expectation, as your child now knows that while practise can make perfect, there's no expectation to be perfect.

And it's not just your child that can benefit from some extra practise, as lots of sports days now feature a parents' race, where some spectators are called from the sidelines and asked to take part. If you are going up to join one of these races, make sure to warm up first and don't overdo things - not everyone can hit the heights of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce!

Relieve the pressure

It's not about winning, it's about taking part. Now while this may be cliché, that doesn't make it any less true. Letting your child know that there's no expectation on them winning, and that you just want to see them give their best and have a good time, can help relieve any pressure they might be feeling about sports day.

Let your child know that having a good time, and a laugh with their mates, is far more important than the competition. The medals and trophies will be quickly forgotten, but the happy memories from spending time in the sun with your friends can last a lifetime.

Share your story!

Letting your child know that they aren't alone in their sports day worries, and that we've all tripped over or lost a race, could help them feel more comfortable to open up about the things panicking them.

It also helps relieve pressure, as mentioned previously, as it shows that some of these things (such as falling over or dropping an egg) are universal experiences, and that there's no reason to be embarrassed because of them.

If your child missed Sports Day, or enjoyed it so much they want to keep moving, then check out the BBC Super Movers campaign, which is all about getting kids active wherever they are and whatever their ability.

For more on school sports days:

Newsround have advice on taking part in sports day in the heat as well as what sports are included.

If you're a parent or carer for younger primary school-age children - you and they may enjoy this quiz and films from CBeebies.

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