6 health benefits for kids who watch college football

By Joe Frollo | Posted 8/28/2014

College football season brings with it all the joys and benefits of being a fan.

Whether enjoying an afternoon outdoors at a game or on the couch surrounded by family and friends, Saturday kickoffs offer times for dads – and moms – to spend quality time with their children cheering on their favorite teams.

Joe Maurer, a pediatrician and avid college football fan, recently wrote that college football viewership also offers social and developmental benefits to young children as well. So when someone gives you the evil eye as you grab Little Johnny and plop down on the couch, you can explain it's for the child's own good. Here are six ways Maurer says watching football with your kids can help them.

  1. Speech development. An American Psychological Association study reported “shows that feature characters directly speaking to the audience can help improve language skills and vocabulary in toddlers.” Who would you rather be speaking to your kids than Lee Corso or Lou Holtz during the pregame shows?
  2. Nutrition. A Penn State study said children are more likely to eat fruits while their fathers are home. Wings and chili for dad. Apples and grapes for the kids.
  3. Safety. A study published in Pediatrics reinforced the need to teach young football players the need to keep their heads up when they tackle to both develop good habits and keep them safer. Where better to point out good tackles vs. dangerous tackles than a day of college football games?
  4. Brain development. Let’s hear it for the bands. Another American Psychological Association study shows that musical training can help children improve their language and reading skills. Stay in your seats during halftime and sing along with the fight song every time a touchdown is scored – you know, for the kids.
  5. Socialization. An Oxford University study said that “children who play video games for up to an hour a day are happier, more sociable and less hyperactive than those who don’t play at all.” So when you are waiting for the game to come on, fire up EA’s NCAA Football series to get in the mood.
  6. Life lessons. Nothing beats seeing hard work and dedication pay off at the end of the season with a national championship. But for the hundreds of other college football teams and their fans, living with an entire offseason of disappointment is more the norm. Teach your children to lose gracefully and never give up.  
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