On a midwinter afternoon in Binzhou, a city in east China's Shandong Province, students and their parents formed a mixed team to take part in a family soccer match at Bincheng No. 2 Experimental Primary School.
"I've been a fan of soccer for years. Since my school started encouraging our family to play sports together, my dad has spent more time practicing with me," said Li Heixuan, a fifth-grade student.
In recent years, a growing number of local governments and schools in China have introduced sports programs designed for families.
In Binzhou, the "Sports Competition for Families" program has been launched in several schools and communities, according to Liu Chunhua, an official with the Binzhou Sports Administration.
This program aims to encourage parents and other family members to exercise with their children, put down their phones, spend time outdoors, and engage in activities together through sports.
Many schools in Binzhou now regularly hold family exercise sessions on weekday afternoons and weekends.
"We've found that these sessions are well-received by students' families, who are enthusiastic about participating in physical activities with their children," said Fu Ruichou, principal of Bincheng No. 2 Experimental Primary School.
These sports sessions are held in the form of mini-matches, complete with modified rules, competition formats, and final results.
Soccer coach Huang Ruxin said family soccer matches are played on smaller fields with fewer players, with adults and children on the same team. Physical contact and the distance between adult kicks are limited to ensure children remain the main players.
"We hope parents will be more actively involved in sports sessions, while helping children build confidence and teamwork on the field," Huang said.
Other activities in the program include basketball, jump rope, and curling, with standardized equipment, team organization, scoring system, and rankings designed to maintain a balance between sportsmanship and competition.
Niu Lei, a physical education teacher at Binzhou Experimental School (South Campus), said that students can learn about values through competition, such as apologizing after a foul or greeting after winning.
"Children learn about respect and self-discipline, whether they win or lose. That's the true essence of sports," Niu said.
A family soccer match was held at Bincheng No. 2 Experimental Primary School in Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province.
Officials say the program also promotes physical fitness, parent-child interaction and healthy student development.
Liu Meng, a parent, said exercising with her child has changed the way they communicate.
"Moments to work together to achieve a common goal with my child are hard to come by in the midst of busyness," Liu said.
Organizers also found that students who regularly participated in the program tended to demonstrate stronger discipline and teamwork, and were more active in group activities.
Zhao Xuejun, a former principal at the experimental school, said these traits can help students stand out in class activities and school events.
The program has attracted nearly 100,000 families across Binzhou and has expanded to include mind games such as Chinese chess.
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