Soccer, baseball, T-ball or lacrosse, it’s time to get the kids back outdoors for the spring sports season. Finally, right? Whether they hibernated all winter or kept active with indoor rec leagues or physical education at school, there are a few things you can do as parents to ensure your kid has a great spring sports season, one that’s both safe and fun.

Note these tips are specifically for junior athletes—not middle- or high-school level competitors—the age at which playing sports is mostly for socializing and skill-building, not trophies or winning.

Older kids playing for titles will need to be training, practicing and staying in shape all year round, but here are 5 tips for parents of the younger set who have budding athletes-in-training:

• Prioritize mental prep as much as physical prep. You can practice a few swings or kicks in your yard, your local park or even a batting cage with your child before he or she plays with their teammates, but mental prep is key here too. Talk to your child about goals they want to achieve during the season, whether that’s to improve their skills in that sport or how to better handle a stressful game or practice. Going in with these expectations can help things go more smoothly on game day.

• Set age-appropriate expectations. When my son first started playing organized town sports around age three, he literally tried to climb the fence at the kickball field to escape (true story). It’s developmentally normal if your child wants to sit on the bench and observe his peers, especially at the beginning of the season (and especially if they’re between the ages of 3-5). A few tactics that can help are having a parent be a coach, if possible, and/or using positive reinforcement every time your child hits a goal or even makes an appearance on the field. If you don’t force them to play, odds are they’ll ease into it on their own time and eventually be intrinsically motivated to do so. (Check out this helpful list of age-appropriate expectations for youth sports).

• Ensure they have the proper gear. Your team’s coach or division head should let you know what your kid will need to wear during practice, whether that’s a uniform, special sneakers or other accessories. For example, there are various sizes for soccer balls, shin guards and baseball mitts depending on the child’s age. Come prepared with all the necessary accoutrements before opening day so it’s one less thing to worry about once the season begins. Other dress for success tips? Even if they’ll be wearing a uniform, bring along a light jacket, especially for early morning practices when it’s still a bit chilly, and apply and reapply broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30, even on cloudy days.

• Keep them properly hydrated (and fed). Drinking enough water during physical activity keeps the muscles strong, improves response time and reduces the risk of heat exhaustion. Experts say kids should drink 3-8 ounces of fluids every 15-20 minutes during sports, in addition to the recommended daily amount of water for kids based on their age and sex. Hydration goes hand-in-hand with proper nutrition for young athletes, so offer your child protein, healthy fats, and whole-grain carbohydrates while in-season to help them perform their best.

• Conduct regular check-ins. As mentioned earlier, sports for the 6-and-under set should be fun. But if your child is dreading practice, refuses to get dressed to go or lacks motivation, it could be because they’re no longer enjoying the sport they signed up for. They also could have an injury that they may be hiding from you and/or coaches. Use your parental judgement and pay attention to your child’s cues that could indicate they’re seeing the sport as more stressful than fun. If that’s the case, read Starglow’s tips for when you should let your child quit an extracurricular activity.

Any other tips you’d add?

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