If you are looking for a new hobby for the kids to get into, have you considered football? If so, you may have wondered what is the best age for kids to start playing, amongst a whole other range of questions. If so, this post is for you.
The short answer is there is no set age for when children can start to play football and it will also depend on the individual child. Let’s explain.
Football For All Ages
By the time a child is two years old, they might already be starting to kick a ball around but as football requires coordination, concentration and the skills needed to work as part of a team, to fully participate, kids are usually aged between 3 -5 when they start to develop these skills.
That of course, will depend on the child too, some may pick up these skills faster than others. If your child is showing an interest in football and asking about playing football, then that of course will signal they are old enough to join in.
Why Should Kids Play Football?
Encouraging your child to participate in football isn’t reserved for parents who are die-hard football fans themselves or just for children that show a talent for the sport – football is an excellent activity for all children!
Firstly, football helps children develop skills that are a vital part of growing up. From coordination skills to concentration, kicking a ball about with other kids encourages development and most importantly, it’s a healthy hobby to have. Football is an exciting game that will ensure your child is getting a good amount of exercise.
Playing football also requires children to learn how to work as part of a team, share with others, and improve communication skills. Again, these are all vital skills children need to learn for healthy development.
Overall, participation in football, well any team sport actually, can help build confidence in a child and encourage them to make new friends. This means the sport is even good for kids that may be a little shy or nervous to make friends with other kids.
Think you need to be a boy mum to get your kids into football too? Not true, amongst children, football is now incredibly popular with girls too. This may be following on from the success of the England Women’s team which has set a shining example for girls and women across the country.
Academy Football
If your child starts to enjoy football, you may be thinking about finding a club or team for them to join. This is where football academies for kids are a great idea.
No, not the professional academies you might be thinking of, but organised children’s football coaching for all ages. Open to all children, academies usually accept children from the ages of 3+ and are for kids of all abilities. This type of academy focus on the social and fun side of football, encouraging children to interact, enjoy themselves, and learn a new skill!
Kixx is one such academy, hosting coaching sessions across the UK that are open to kids of all ages. Coaching sessions are organised by age and there are even teams for the really little ones. There is also plenty of opportunity for parents to get involved with sessions too, or even start their own football franchise.
What do you think about kids playing football? Would you let your kids attend an academy?