Sport is a great way to get exercise and keep healthy, as well as to meet people and make some good friends.

Health experts recommend that we should all do at least 30 minutes moderate physical activity every day, and sport is a really fun way of doing this!

So whether you’re tall or short, prefer team activities or ones you can do by yourself or with a close friend, there are lots of sports and activities out there for you to have fun trying.

What sport do you choose?

As their are many different sports to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find one that suits you.

And it doesn’t matter whether you’re a boy or a girl when you’re choosing what to try – you can take part in any sport.  For example, did you know that the England ladies team got to the final of the football World Cup in 2009 – that’s a fair bit better than our men’s team in recent years!

Perhaps you don’t like kicking or throwing things, but you are really good at jumping, doing handstands and cartwheels? If so, try joining a gymnastics club.

Or maybe you prefer having fun in water? Well, you’re fine there too because there are tons of swimming pools where you can power up and down the pool, or just splash down a water slide!

There are absolutely loads of sports just waiting for you to try them!

What if you don’t like sport?

If you don’t enjoy sports, don’t worry about it. There’s plenty of reasons why this might be the case.  Perhaps it’s because you haven’t found something you enjoy or you find people get too competitive.

Quite often we only try the most obvious sports, like football or rugby, but there are actually lots of different types of sports and activities, all of which require different skills and personalities.

For example, martial arts are a form of sport – as well as the moves, they help teach you discipline and strength.

Here are some other sports and activities that you may not have considered:

• Ice Skating
• Wrestling
• Skateboarding
• Boxing
• Bowling
• Biking
• Javelin
• Running
• Rowing
• Surfing
• Kite flying
• Frisbies

It’s always more fun doing things with a friend so if you want to try a sport out to see what it’s like, grab a friend and then you can find out what it’s like together!

And if you’re still not keen, then you can always do lots of other activities to stay healthy – how about trying to make up your very own special sport with your family in the garden?

Remember, the most important thing is to have fun!  But don’t forget to always ask mum or dad if it’s OK to play sport before you start.

Finding a Sport

Your local council’s leisure department should have details about facilities, sports clubs and other initiatives in your area.   Your local library should also be a good source of information.

Click here to find out more from local council

Sport England operates the Active Places website, which has loads of info on sports facilities.  It’s a good way to find things such as your nearest fitness centre, swimming pool or athletic track.