If I could recommend one sport to introduce to your homeschooled child, it would be basketball.  Not only is it great exercise and loads of fun to play, it is easy to set up a basket or find a court to use.  Competition is inside (most of the time), so parents don’t have to get cold or wet or sunburned to cheer on the team.  Equipment costs are low with purchasing only a pair of shoes, a ball, and shorts.  If you want a court of your own, a moveable, adjustable hoop is reasonably priced and will last for years. 

The key to teaching your child how to play any sport is teaching the fundamentals correctly, and that might mean forgetting all the things that you thought you knew about the sport.  Search the Internet for quality sources of instruction, and begin at the beginning.  Start with the NFHS for a good, comprehensive look at the fundamentals of basketball and several other sports.

Young kids need kid-sized balls and a lower basket.  A regulation ball and basket are used beginning in about 7th grade.  Until then, allow your child to learn proper shooting form with the ball and hoop height more appropriate for his or her size and age.  You didn’t hand Crime and Punishment to your beginning reader, so don’t force your child into bad habits by using equipment that is made for teens and adults.

You’ll be amazed at what a seven year-old can learn to do with a basketball –dribbling with eyes up, ball handling, passing, shooting layups and close shots with good form.  Basketball leagues with parent-coached teams are sometimes available for this age .  These give your child an opportunity to be part of a team and to meet new friends. 

As a sport-parent you have another responsibility as well, and that is to be positive about your child’s playing.  Be sure to say the magic words that all kids want to hear from Mom and Dad:  “I love watching you play.”  Don’t criticize your child for a missed shot or a dribble off the foot.  Players already know when they have made a mistake, and it’s the coach’s job to correct and teach.  Your job is be encouraging and supportive.