Parenting doesn’t come with a manual, that’s why we created LittleGuide. If you’re looking to sign your little up for a sport class or trying to figure out when to start looking at sport activities, we’re here to help. From baseball and basketball to soccer and football here everything you need to know to get started.

When to get started? 

Kids classes start as early as 4 months old for swim lessons (and it’s a great idea for safety reasons – Aqua Tots has a great program) but kids usually can’t fully engage in a structured class until they are 3 or 4 years old. That doesn’t mean you need to wait to sign up! We started soccer tots when my son was 2 and while the class resembled herding cats, he had fun playing with friends and we looked forward to chatting with fellow parents.

Where to sign up?

Almost all city and townships have a Parks and Recreation Department that offer a variety of youth classes and leagues. It’s a convenient way to find an activity close to home. There are also multiple local organizations that offer a variety of sports at multiple locations across the metro region. Here’s a list of a few of the most popular organizations AND additional guides for specific youth sports below.

The YMCA youth sports programs encourage youth development and promote healthy living by placing a priority on family involvement, healthy competition rather than rivalry, the value of participation over winning, team building as well as individual development, a positive self-image and a sense of fair play and mutual respect for others.

• Basketball (ages 3-15)
• Baseball (ages 3-13)
• Floor Hockey (ages 3-15)
• Soccer (ages 3-15)
• Volleyball (ages 3-15)

Detroit PAL offers 11 different sports for a variety of age and skill levels. PALs programs help athletes learn the skills needed to succeed both on and off the playing field.

• Baseball (ages 9-18)
• Basketball (age 4-17)
• Cheer (age 5-14)
• Football (ages 5-14)
• Golf (ages 5-17)
• Soccer (ages 4-18)
• Softball (ages 9-19)
• T-Ball (ages 4-8)
• Track & Field (ages 7-18)
• Volleyball (ages 10-14)

i9 Sports offers a variety of youth sports at locations across metro Detroit. The i9 Sports curriculum is designed to grow with your child teaching skills and game play. For our Pee Wees, we focus on introducing your child to the sport while providing instruction through activities and drills that keep kids learning and having fun.

• Baseball (ages 3-8)
• Basketball (age 4-14)
• Flag Football (ages 4-14)
• Lacrosse (ages 5-14)
• Soccer (ages 3-9)
• Volleyball (ages 7-14)

Total Sports Complex offers a wide variety of field sports including soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and football at multiple locations across metro Detroit.

• Baseball
• Lacrosse
• Soccer
• Softball

Find more youth sports!

• Swimming
• Equestrian
• Gymnastics
• Learn to Skate
• Junior Golf

Photo credit: Facebook