Age Groups •  Under fives •  5 - 7 years •  7 - 9 years •  9 - 11 years •  11 - 13 years •  13 - 15 years Under fives Unless you are very, very clever, your mum or dad is probably reading this to you. Hopefully with one finger on their nose, because then they will look silly. At your age, you should be rushing about with your friends. Games which include running, swimming and cycling are all brilliant, as are making sandcastles and playing hide-and-seek. Age five to seven Now you can join in with your parents when they go out for a slow run. If you take your bike you can follow them, as long as they are not running an incredibly long distance, like to the moon, or you'll be tired. When they are doing their warm up run maybe you can jog with them. If there's a fun run and you'd like to join in, don't forget to ask them to enter you for it. Age seven to nine You probably fancy your chances at beating your parents at whatever sports they do, so ask them if you can join in. Keeping up with them on your bike while they are running could be a good challenge. Running round a track can be dull so leave that for the adults. Instead bomb around the park with your friends. It's much more fun, and there are endless games you can play such as British Bulldog and Stick-in-the-mud. Age nine to 11 Now is the time to start finding out what other sports are out there. You can try a few and see what you like. There are loads to choose from, such as judo, athletics, football and horseriding. Why not see how many unusual sports clubs you can find in your local area? By joining a club you'll learn skills from the older children. Also, as well as taking part in sport at school, you can start running regularly with an adult if you like. Age 11 to 13 You probably know what sports you love and what you are good at, so why not find out what you need to do to join the school team? There are plenty of clubs which will offer you training if you want to get some more practice and take part in competitions. You'll meet others who like the same things as you and who you can compete against. If you don't win it doesn't matter because you still get to have a laugh with your mates, and they'll give you tips on how to improve. Age 13 to 15 Those of you who have discovered a talent for a particular sport will be spending a lot of time training. Running may be your talent, so now is the time to work at being a county runner and compete for places in regional and national teams. You are growing quite quickly so make sure you don't strain yourself; ask your coaches for advice. Puberty is also kicking in, which can be a bit unsettling. Keeping in touch with your friends at the sports clubs can be a great help.