Finding an enjoyable, exciting, and engaging activity for gifted students can be a challenging balancing act. While parents want their children to become active and involved, they may face setbacks as they try to find the right fit, with some gifted children grappling with poor fine and gross motor abilities. While a high percentage of gifted…

It has come to the Department of Education's (ED's) attention that many transgender students (i.e., students whose gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth) report feeling unsafe and experiencing verbal and physical harassment or assault in school, and that these students may perform worse academically when they are…

Sports offer so many benefits to kids, from fun and fitness to responsibility and teamwork skills. With sports also come bumps and bruises--and one type of injury requires much more than an ice pack or a band-aid. Head trauma is one of the most common injuries sustained by young athletes, with more than 60,000 concussions occurring each year in…

The rights of all students to participate in extracurricular programs are required by current law but are often nonexistent, misunderstood, or even sometimes purposely not shared with parents. This article is addressed to parents regarding the rights of their children with disabilities to participate in extracurricular sport activities. Included…

Selecting competitive sports opportunities for a child is a challenging process. Parents have to make the right choices so that their young athletes will have many years of healthy, happy, active experiences. If parents make the wrong choices, their son or daughter will have, at the very least, a few unhappy hours, and worst-case scenario, could…

Opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in sports have expanded as school and community sports programs such as the Special Olympics, intramural sports, community recreation leagues, and interscholastic teams have become more available to all children. A directory of 37 recreation organizations is also provided. (CB)

A champion gymnast and long-time coach shares practical suggestions for encouraging young females to begin and maintain participation in sports. Backed by current research and filled with stories from girls and women across the country, the book discusses how to give girls the edge on future success and enduring well-being by encouraging them to…

Parents are the key to improving youth sports for everyone. This self-test is provided to see if they are doing all they can to keep their children active in sports and receiving the benefits of sports participation. A list of resources is included.

Youth sports can be a positive and enjoyable experience for children if sports are seen in the right perspective. This article presents guidelines for youth sports, based on the National Standards for Youth Sports, and describes a national campaign called Say Yes to Better Sports for Kids. (IAH)

A parent describes her son's participation in Challenger Little League, a special division which allows children with disabilities to play competitive baseball. The division now has 560 leagues with an estimated 20,000 participants. (DB)

Presents suggestions for creative game changing that will even the odds for family members of unequal ability who want to play various games and sports together. The special privileges and tips include handicapping, retaking moves, and creating noncompetitive rules. (SM)

The article offers guidelines for involving children and adults with severe disabilities in motor activities and sports. Stressed are participation as fun, age appropriateness, functionality of new skills, and the value of partial participation. (DB)

Ten articles considering ways in which to help in the development of the whole child address play, childhood fears, making children feel loved, how parents can help children learn, decision making, peer pressure, competition, sports, and reading materials for adolescents. (CB)

Individuals with Down syndrome typically have low fitness levels and obesity despite data that indicate physiological gains from physical activity and exercise interventions. Low fitness levels and obesity in individuals with Down syndrome may be related to sedentary lifestyles, social and recreational opportunities, or low motivation to be…

The article looks at the role of play and recreation in the lives of children with learning disabilities and suggests ways parents can help integrate such children into recreation and sports programs. The importance of three systems of support--the family, the school, and the peer group--is stressed. Parents are urged to work toward providing the…