For children and parents 'competition' can be a scary word. It can be perceived as placing too much pressure on being at their best at that time. The argument is that it can cause unnecessary stress and leave children feeling disappointed if they don't measure up.
Some of this maybe true if competition is treated this way, but child development experts point out that a little healthy competition can be good for children. Besides setting them up for wins and losses later in life, competitive activities help them develop important skills they'll use well into adulthood, like taking turns, being kind, developing empathy, and resilience.
Competition helps children learn that it is not always the best or the brightest who are successful, but rather those that work together and keep on going. The children who have the opportunity to engage in competition can also earn critical social skills through interacting with other children, while also developing their self-esteem and self-efficacy.
Recently BSB Sanlitun took part in a Handball tournament at BSB Shunyi, performing not just superbly as individuals but brilliantly as a team. The children who participated not only had fun they also benefited hugely due to having to work collaboratively. The children also had to problem solve as a team and help them learn the lifelong skills of working together for the common goal.
By Robert Skeldon
PE Teacher