Little girls across the United States stayed up late in August to see who would become America's next star and win the Olympic all-around gymnastics title -- Nastia Liukin or Shawn Johnson.

They cheered when the U.S. women's soccer team outlasted Brazil in extra time to win gold in Beijing. And kids all across the world became in awe of swimmer Michael Phelps as he captured a record-eight Olympic gold medals.

The Olympics spur interest in sports some people are exposed to once every four years, and they expose children to the success that can come with sports.

But what if your child is caught up in the post-Olympic buzz and now wants to become an athlete? How do you get your child started in sports, and which sports are best for young kids?

Getting Started

Medical experts suggest you begin with the basics, which include simply getting your child active.

"Sometimes we get kids too early in a sport rather than exposing them to different activities," said Dr. Edward Laskowski, the co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center.

Dr. Laskowski said these activities can be as simple as playing tag or hide-and-seek, or even playing video games such as the Wii Fit or Dance Dance Revolution.

He recommends initially involving kids in activities that help develop their muscles and skills, and teach them body awareness.

Choosing A Sport

When you feel your child is ready to enroll in lessons or join a team, you need to figure out which sport is right for your child, which can be a difficult task.

When choosing a sport for your child, Dr. Laskowski warns there is no perfect sport that every child should play.

"I think it more depends on how your kid is wired up," he said.

He advises parents to pay attention to if their child has good endurance, likes to run, likes to jump, and if he or she has good coordination.

That way, parents are more likely to select a sport their child has an interest in and might be good at, rather than signing him or her up for a sport the parents might want their child to play.

"I would not be in favor of self-selecting a sport for a kid at a young age," Dr. Laskowski said.

To ensure your child is playing a sport they actually like, Dr. Laskowski and Dr. Catherine Sargent, who works in orthopaedic surgery at Johns Hopkins, recommend letting your child try many different sports.

"I believe in trying different things to see what their interests are," Dr. Laskowski said. "We're getting away from funneling kids into one sport."

Dr. Sargent warns there could actually be health risks to only involving your child in one sport.

"Kids that do too much of one sport run into trouble," said Dr. Sargent.

She said kids who play the same sport year round are at risk of over-using muscles, which could lead to injuries. Dr. Sargent recommends that kids play multiple sports throughout the year, and that they play sports that use different muscle groups and different types of movements.

For example, Dr. Sargent said playing soccer and field hockey would use the same types of movements and muscles.

So what sports are good for children to play? Here are some of the sports Dr. Sargent and Dr. Laskowski, along with other athletic experts, said could be beneficial to your child:

Gymnastics
Dr. Sargent lists gymnastics as one of the sports that will help your child develop coordination.

Steve Penny, the president of USA Gymnastics, adds that gymnastics is a great way to fight childhood obesity through core exercises and weight resistance movements that build muscle tone.

Penny said gymnastics is also a great way to prepare children to participate in other sports.

"Gymnastics is a place where you can begin here and go anywhere," said Penny, noting that the skills of balance and strength taught through gymnastics can help kids in any sport they play, including football and basketball.

According to Penny, gymnastics can also help kids in day-to-day activities, such as walking on a curb, or playing on the playground. The key, Penny said, is to get kids started at a young age, usually around 3 or 4.

He also pointed out while gymnastics competed at the Olympic level requires a world-class talent that few athletes possess, all children have the ability to participate in entry-level gymnastics.

"The very basic level of gymnastics is something every child can do," said Penny.

According to Dr. Sargent, it's when athletes advance past the basic level and into elite competition that physical issues become a concern. She said overtraining can lead to overuse of muscles and elbow and knee injuries.

Martial Arts
Another sport that helps kids develop coordination and strength is martial arts.

"It's a well-rounded, overall body exercise," Juan Moreno, the U.S. National Team Coach for taekwondo, said. "It helps kids become more flexible and improves their body awareness."

Moreno said taekwondo offers physical advantages to kids -- building muscles through body resistance without using weights, developing core muscles and improving coordination, flexibility and cardiovascular conditioning -- but the martial art also offers emotional development.

Taekwondo teaches children discipline and respect, and has a built-in goal system with belt rankings. It also teaches kids self-defense.

"It's such a fast world now a days," Moreno said. "Parents are busy and sometimes they need a little help rearing their children."

The martial arts are also a sport families can do together.

"It's an activity they can all do," Moreno said. "They can join family class, be at the same belt rank, practice forms together, do self-defense together. It's a really good, quality family activity."

While taekwondo and other martial arts promote discipline, Moreno acknowledges sometimes parents are turned off by the sport because of the physical combat aspect, sparring. But he said in classes, children are taught why they shouldn't kick and punch and how to use control. He also said athletes are well protected with special gear when they do engage in sparring, and that rules are put in a place to protect kids. Moreno added that there are other areas of taekwondo kids can compete in -- including forms and board breaking -- aside from sparring.

Soccer (And Other Team Sports)
Dr. Sargent also listed soccer as a good sport for children. She said it's a sport that requires very little equipment, can be played anywhere, and teaches children teamwork.

John Hackworth, the Development Academy Technical Director of U.S. Soccer and an assistant coach for the U.S. men's national team, also said it's a sport that kids can easily understand.

"For kids in particular, it's pretty simple for them," Hackworth said, pointing out that kids can understand the concept of running and kicking a ball.

He added that soccer teaches kids balance, agility, skill development and coordination.

It's also a good workout.

"It's definitely one of the most physically demanding sports," Hackworth said. "It's both aerobic and anaerobic in nature."

Dr. Sargent also recommended softball and baseball, along with volleyball and basketball. She said those sports help children develop coordination, and they also teach kids about playing on a team, interacting with kids and taking direction from coaches.

Lifetime Sports
Dr. Sargent and Dr. Laskowski also recommend introducing your child to sports they can participate in throughout their lives.

Dr. Sargent said swimming and cycling were great sports for kids. She said she treats very few swimmers for injuries, with the exception of some shoulder injuries in athletes who compete at a high level.

She also recommends encouraging your child to get into cycling, as long as they wear the appropriate helmets and pads.

Dr. Laskowski said teaching kids how to golf, play tennis, and getting them involved in running are also good activities. He said they are sports that can be played throughout their lifetime, and they are also good activities that the entire family can participate in.

Keeping Your Young Athlete Healthy

Once your child is involved in a sport, Dr. Sargent recommends monitoring your child's level of participation.

To prevent injuries -- and to also keep your child from getting bored with the sport -- she suggests not only involving your kids in multiple sports, but also regulating how often they participate in each activity. Dr. Sargent said kids should play a sport no more than six days a week, and she recommends they take at least 1-2 months off from playing each sport every year.

She also recommends keeping a close watch on how your child's body reacts to playing their sport. If a child is seen limping significantly or complaining of muscle soreness, Dr. Sargent says that child should be seen by a doctor. She says while it's normal for adults to feel sore after hard workouts, children's muscles should be able to handle it.