Introducing Toddlers To Competitiveness in Games

By Aparna - Updated: January 9, 2019

In this Article

Tips for Teaching Toddlers about Winning and Losing in Sports

An adult’s inability to tackle success or failure, or to accept defeat, indicates that he didn’t learn this basic lesson as a kid. Prevent this from happening to your child by employing a few smart ways to cultivate healthy competition in toddlers.

The lessons of sportsmanship, healthy competition, and proper behaviour in win-lose situations are best cultivated in childhood, most preferably by parents. As the primary caregiver of your toddler, you need to know how to do it right.

Tips for Teaching Toddlers about Winning and Losing in Sports

Curious to see that winning smile on your kid’s face, you intentionally lose in most of the games you both play. This definitely heightens your child’s interest in the game and motivates him to participate even more. However, it’s necessary to strike a balance between winning and losing too. When playing with him, ensure you deliver the right message that if triumph holds delight, defeat holds learning and moral.

Teaching toddlers good sporting behaviour has to be a priority when playing a game with your child. Teach him proper sporting etiquette by way of honouring the game’s rules and showing respect towards other players.

Whenever he loses, encourage him to calmly accept the defeat. Generate an environment where defeat and discontent don’t impact other aspects of his life.

The spirit of competing can be inculcated at this time. Set performance parameters such as points to prompt him to do his best and push boundaries.

1. Cultivating Healthy Toddler Competition

First, make your child aware that every game has rules and they must be followed. You can practically demonstrate how rules work by playing a game with him or with your husband and have him watch the two of you.

Provide your child with space to function as he wants. You may be amazed to see him adopting his own competition strategies while adhering to the rules. Refrain from comparing his scores with anyone to extremes. Instead, let him play naturally.

Create a win-win atmosphere. Cheer him up as often as you can and inspire him to do so for others if he’s playing with his peers.

2. Competitive Games for Kids to Try

Cultivate healthy completion in your kid by choosing specific games. Experts say that cooperative games are good to start with compared to solo games. Have a look at some of them:

For making a 3-year-old competitive in sports, cooperative games like snakes and ladders are ideal. Since things are left to chance, they don’t have to bear the strain of winning or losing.

Competition can be increased through more indoor games like building/stacking races and jigsaw puzzles. They’re perfect for toddlers because players have to adopt certain skills and strategies to outclass their competitor.

Encourage your child to play outdoor games too. Treasure hunting and even ‘Simon says’ can carry valuable lessons of sportsmanship and competitiveness.

Plan and organise stimulating games for your child that are also dedicated to increase competitiveness. Coupled with lessons on sportsmanship, your child can grow up to be an individual who loves healthy competition and knows how to win and lose.

Previous article « Introducing your Baby to Swimming

Next article How can Parents Handle Toddler Conflicts »