How to Introduce Soccer to a Child

Buy a soccer ball for him or her., Present the soccer ball to your child on a special day, maybe their birthday., Encourage the watching of soccer games., Make a small goal post in your yard., Remain calm at all times when teaching your child...

8 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Buy a soccer ball for him or her.

    Buy a small size ball at first (sizes 2 or 3).

    Owning their own soccer ball will provide a great incentive to use it and to play around with kicking it in the home environment, thereby encouraging practice.
  2. Step 2: Present the soccer ball to your child on a special day

    This will help your child to associate it with a fun occasion, seeing it as a gift and an opportunity to learn something new.

    It also carries the respect of being a gift. , When you are watching soccer on the TV, encourage your child to watch it too.

    This way they will get an idea of the play and it's a perfect opportunity for you to explain what is happening and to start teaching some of the rules and cool moves.

    Ask your child if he or she has a favorite player––if so, you could do some research online about that player and even print out some pictures to use as posters on the wall in your child's room. , You can use this to teach the basic rules to your child in the comfort of your home environment.

    Teach how to pass the ball by asking how to pass to an object.

    Teach how to juggle with a light ball.

    This helps develop ball control.

    If you find that your child isn't kicking the ball correctly, explain it slowly and show how it is done.

    You can also use YouTube videos to assist your explanations. , Children differ in their attention spans and level of interest.

    Tailor your teaching to what you know about your child; if you feel frustrated, it's time to take a break because you mustn't take this out on your child.

    Always keep the training times enjoyable and encouraging, so as to not make soccer seem like a chore.

    Always maintain a good relationship and train regularly.

    Don't pretend that a child has amazing skills when it's clear that he or she needs to practice a great deal.

    Overconfidence is as much a burden as a lack of confidence.

    Seek a fine balance. , This is a really sure-fire way to encourage your child to be eager to play. , When it's clear that your child enjoys playing soccer at home and is enthusiastic about the game as a whole, ask whether he or she would like to get involved in playing as part of a team.

    If so, check out several different clubs to see which clicks the best, and enroll your child.

    Be sure to go along to practice sessions, to encourage your child.

    He or she will let you know when they're okay to be there without you.
  3. Step 3: maybe their birthday.

  4. Step 4: Encourage the watching of soccer games.

  5. Step 5: Make a small goal post in your yard.

  6. Step 6: Remain calm at all times when teaching your child soccer.

  7. Step 7: Buy your child an occasional football accessory or team top.

  8. Step 8: Consider enrolling your child in a local children's soccer team.

Detailed Guide

Buy a small size ball at first (sizes 2 or 3).

Owning their own soccer ball will provide a great incentive to use it and to play around with kicking it in the home environment, thereby encouraging practice.

This will help your child to associate it with a fun occasion, seeing it as a gift and an opportunity to learn something new.

It also carries the respect of being a gift. , When you are watching soccer on the TV, encourage your child to watch it too.

This way they will get an idea of the play and it's a perfect opportunity for you to explain what is happening and to start teaching some of the rules and cool moves.

Ask your child if he or she has a favorite player––if so, you could do some research online about that player and even print out some pictures to use as posters on the wall in your child's room. , You can use this to teach the basic rules to your child in the comfort of your home environment.

Teach how to pass the ball by asking how to pass to an object.

Teach how to juggle with a light ball.

This helps develop ball control.

If you find that your child isn't kicking the ball correctly, explain it slowly and show how it is done.

You can also use YouTube videos to assist your explanations. , Children differ in their attention spans and level of interest.

Tailor your teaching to what you know about your child; if you feel frustrated, it's time to take a break because you mustn't take this out on your child.

Always keep the training times enjoyable and encouraging, so as to not make soccer seem like a chore.

Always maintain a good relationship and train regularly.

Don't pretend that a child has amazing skills when it's clear that he or she needs to practice a great deal.

Overconfidence is as much a burden as a lack of confidence.

Seek a fine balance. , This is a really sure-fire way to encourage your child to be eager to play. , When it's clear that your child enjoys playing soccer at home and is enthusiastic about the game as a whole, ask whether he or she would like to get involved in playing as part of a team.

If so, check out several different clubs to see which clicks the best, and enroll your child.

Be sure to go along to practice sessions, to encourage your child.

He or she will let you know when they're okay to be there without you.

About the Author

L

Lisa Ramos

Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in pet care and beyond.

45 articles
View all articles

Rate This Guide

--
Loading...
5
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0

How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: