Here are some unconventional sports you can get your kids started with.
Here are some unconventional sports you can get your kids started with.
Optimist Introductory Sailing Course, Changi Sailing Club
One of the best sports that kids can get into, sailing teaches a whole host of valuable lessons, including the importance of teamwork, leadership and having a good work ethic, as well as spatial awareness and how to hone their sense of direction. Your kids will gain confidence and accomplishment from being able to man their own vessel, while the sport itself instils in them courage and a sense of adventure.
And there’s no better place to pick up the sport than at Changi Sailing Club, whose Optimist Introductory Sailing Course is designed to equip kids with basic sailing skills needed to navigate open waters confidently. Kids will learn to rig and de-rig their boats, launch and manoeuvre their vessel, as well as capsize recovery and general knowledge of tides, currents and the weather.
: Ages 7 to 12
: $253.60 (members); $361.65 (non-members)
Junior Team Training Program, Archery Club of Singapore
Archery trains both physical and mental development, as students learn to hone their balance, coordination, focus and discipline. Drawing a bow helps strengthen kids’ core muscles and improve their stability and balance, while learning to hit a target trains mental focus and hand-eye coordination. Additionally, the sport teaches kids good sportsmanship and the value of setting and adapting their goals, by increasing distances and aiming for smaller target rings as their skills improve.
Archery trains both physical and mental development, as students learn to hone their balance, coordination, focus and discipline. Drawing a bow helps strengthen kids’ core muscles and improve their stability and balance, while learning to hit a target trains mental focus and hand-eye coordination. Additionally, the sport teaches kids good sportsmanship and the value of setting and adapting their goals, by increasing distances and aiming for smaller target rings as their skills improve.
Students at the Archery Club of Singapore will learn how to handle a bow and arrow safely, as well as techniques to shoot targets with accuracy.
: Ages 18 and under
: $80
Beginner Course, Singapore Kendo Club
Kendo is a great sport for teaching kids the value of courteousness and regard for others. Its philosophy is said to begin and end with respect, and much emphasis is placed on etiquette, with every match beginning and ending with the exchange of bows.
The aim is to develop human character and instil discipline, while honing strength and endurance. It also trains concentration and patience – proper technique in kendo calls for precision in strikes, with movement kept to a minimum, so kids are taught to pay attention to their opponent and wait for the moment to strike when his defences are lowered.
The Singapore Kendo Club’s Beginner Course will equip aspiring kendo practitioners with essential skills needed to build a strong foundation in the sport. Kids will learn basic footwork, cutting techniques and kendo etiquette.
: Ages 13 and above
: $100 per month
Z Prep (ages 4–5) and Zketeer (ages 6–12), Z Fencing
Often referred to as “physical chess”, fencing is a highly tactical sport that requires equal amounts of physical and mental toughness. Success in the sport depends on the fencer’s ability to focus and strategise quickly by observing his opponent’s tactics, recognising his patterns, strengths and weaknesses and then adapting on the fly. By taking up fencing, your kids will build their athleticism, cultivate quick reflexes and improve their coordination and stamina.
Under Z Fencing’s Z Prep course, kids aged 4 to 5 will be taught basic foundational techniques to cultivate good motor and hand-eye coordination skills. Emphasis is placed on building agility, balance and coordination, which are key attributes to have in order to fence well. Meanwhile, the centre’s Zketeer course teaches fencers aged 6 to 12 fencing fundamentals including footwork, blade work, tactics and etiquette.
: Ages 4 to 12
: $740 per term (3 months)
Advanced Learn-to-Skate: Ice Hockey, Singapore Ice Hockey Association
A physically demanding and fast-paced sport, ice hockey provides a total-body workout that hones kids’ flexibility, muscle strength, coordination, balance and endurance. By playing in teams, kids also learn teamwork and how to communicate with teammates.
Working in partnership with The Rink at JCube, the Singapore Ice Hockey Association offers ice hockey classes under its Advanced Learn-to-Skate: Ice Hockey programme to kids as young as 6 years old. Kids will progress through the various stages under its structured curriculum, picking up skills from puck control to passing and shooting.
: Ages 6 and above
: $214
Tend to overpack, even if it’s for a staycation? Don’t fret – the Mitsubishi Outlander has got your back. With third row seating and foldable seats, there’s more than enough space to store your bags, prams, fancy Unicorn pool floats, and even BBQ equipment. The Mitsubishi Outlander also comes with seven airbags and seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters for your family’s utmost safety. Its flexible back-seat configuration and tailgate, which can be raised or lowered with the single push of a button, allows for easy loading too.