Q. My son is 2 years old and I want him to indulge in different sports activities as early as now. Can you suggest any safe sports activities suited for his age? How much it would cost? Thanks so much. (Hazel R. Velasquez, Las Piñas)

You are so right about thinking of getting your toddler into sports this summer. The younger they are when they start, the better they will become at it. Not only that, physical activities will develop their bones and muscles and also give them the wonderful strength training that they will need as they grow.

Another benefit to enrolling young children in sports is to boost their immune system, and of course their confidence level. They will grow up to become well-rounded teenagers who have developed good habits when it comes to their health and wellbeing.

I got my son started with lots of tumbling and rolling when he was less than a year old. It was a tot class in Gymboree, where he also had art and music lessons. Jacobo learned early on to take pleasure in socializing and interacting with children his age level. I would sometimes join him, since mommies or caregivers were encouraged to assist their toddlers during the play activities. One very good branch of Gymboree if you frequent the Makati area is the one located at the Serendra. Just visit the branch to inquire about their class schedules and rates. There are other branches of Gymboree as well in other areas.

When my son turned 2, I along with my sisters-in-law decided to enroll our toddlers in a private swimming class at our residences. We got Alvin Ang to teach them. He is a certified diver and instructor for many years and has worked so well with little kids. He even brings all the toys, floaters and swimming paraphernalias to make the one-hour class pleasurable for children. He requires children to be at least 1 years old to begin. And if he is teaching two or more students, a toddler must have an adult with them in the water. You can expect to pay about R700 per hour. You can reach Alvin through his mobile, 0917-5391205. Summer is a fabulous time to start swimming lessons since weather always permits water frolic. But more importantly, I believe in teaching children how to swim at a very early age because this is a good survival skill for them. It’s like learning to ride a horse or a bicycle. Once you know how, you can never un-learn it.

Apart from his swimming classes, we have recently enrolled Jacobo— now 3 years old— in soccer lessons at a park in a private village. The soccer lessons for beginners are supervised by Robert “Coach Butch” Mondonedo, Jr, who started the Mondonedo Football Academy. Their mission is to impart skills development programs that will help build young Filipinos into world-class football players. Their training sessions currently hold 16 modules per year in numerous locations such as Nomads Sports Club, Phil. Sports Complex, and several villages around the Makati area. My son is enrolled in a twice-a-week program that involves playing with other kids his age, both girls and boys. I think soccer or football lessons are  superb ways to get kids out and about instead of loafing around the home watching TV or staying in front of their computers. Each soccer lesson can cost about R500 per hour. That way,  you can adjust your budget to how many times in a week you would like your son to play. You can reach Coach Butch through his cellphone, 0918-9061249.

When Jacobo turns four this coming October, my husband and I have already decided to enrol him for Tae-Kwon-Do lessons. Our personal friend, Monsour del Rosario has opened Olympians Taekwondo Training Center (OTTC) in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Mon said students can start at age 4 to 6 years old. Ages 7 and up are eligible to join the regular classes. Just call 889-5463 and look for Mercy or Arlene to get more details on lessons, fees, & schedules. I also highly recommend taking up Martial Arts, for it does not only teach children proper self-defense tactics; the various maneuvers like the tumbling and rolling can enhance their agility. They will also learn how to take a fall with minimum or no damage to their bodies.

The goal doesn’t necessarily have to be a sports scholarship achievement. Getting your children into regular physical activities that are healthy and safe for their age is already  advantageous in itself especially now when we are in the age of high technology. I recall how I grew up with hardly any electronic gadgets for amusement and so we kids were very creative in coming up with things to do outdoors; whether it was gathering leaves from a tree to make woven bracelets, or do a mock Olympics on our street corner, or blow up the mini-pool and fill it with water for a shallow but fun swim at our backyard. No matter what game we play, we were always physically on-the-go unlike now when kids just sit the whole day watching TV or playing computers. I encourage all new parents to establish ways in which they can raise their young children to experience the same simple joys we had when we were growing up. This way, the next generation won’t have to be unhealthy and obese couch potatoes.