We all know our little ones need plenty of fresh air and exercise, but what if you could combine that with some essential life skills – a bit like sneaking in extra greens into kids’ food? SoccerDays toddler football classes do exactly that.
They’re the dash of spinach on your spag bol, the side salad to your steak and chips: in short, a great, fun way to spark a life-long love of sport (and the beautiful game) in your toddler.
Most pre school children are bags of energy and finding ways for them to use it up, while also having fun and making new friends, can be a challenge for parents. That’s where SoccerDays toddler football classes come in.
Settle back as we explain the many benefits of our football classes for kids, and how you can sign up your child to your nearest session.
Sport and child development
Most parents understand the importance of physical exercise to their child’s development and health. But there’s more to participating in football, indeed any sport, than keeping fit.
Individual and team sports have a crucial role to play in when it comes to a child’s social skills, and the increased confidence kids gain from being physically active can have a knock-on effect both at home and school.
Let’s explore that in a bit more detail.
Physical development
Young children grow and develop at such a fast pace. It can feel like it was only five minutes ago they were crawling – now they’re zooming around the garden on two (sometimes wobbly) feet!
Toddlers aged between 2 and 5 grow at a slightly slower rate than when they’re babies, but during these key years, they will quickly build up their strength and coordination.
Our classes help support this, and we’ll explain in more detail how each age group offers a tailored approach later on in this blog.
Language and cognition
This can be one of the most fascinating stages of a toddler’s life (but then aren’t they all?) as they start to communicate more fluidly and use increasingly sophisticated language.
Our football classes can help teach children different ways to express themselves and give them the confidence to communicate, even at a young age, with more than one or two people, including adults.
Their understanding of the world around them is also starting to develop at this stage, and being part of a group activity will help feed their hungry little brains!
Emotional and social
Toddlers start to form friendships from the ages of 2 to 5, but they also start to develop a sense of independence. Many a parent hears “I can do it on my own” during this time, and that’s great!
Our weekly classes will help nurture your child’s desire to stand on their own two feet and be more social and make new friends, both among their own and in different age groups.
It’s also a period when most children start to test the rules around them: not necessarily by being naughty, more exploring where the softer and harder boundaries lie.
SoccerDays’ coaches will help them understand the importance of learning and playing by the rules, and the rewards that come with it.
Colin Reid – UEFA A licence Coach, FA Senior Coach Educator, says:
“I have been impressed with the SoccerDays organisation. The programmes are fun and well structured. The staff are brilliant with the children – SoccerDays has a reputation for employing excellent staff.”
Sensory and motor skills
Possibly the biggest benefit from our football classes is the support they offer to children as they develop their motor skills and co ordination.
As each child grows, they will move through our classes, which are designed to accommodate every ability level, learning new skills as they play.
General behaviour
Studies have found that children who do sport are not only healthier, it can also have a positive impact on their education and behaviour.
Taking part in a team sport goes beyond just a physical activity: it helps a child develop essential skills such as taking initiative and planning, carrying through and achieving a valued goal.
It also encourages cooperation and can prevent kids having issues with other children as they develop and grow older, because they’re more likely to be team players.
Toddlers and children learn how amazing it feels to score a goal after being taught essential football skills, as well as a better way to handle things when they don’t go their way.
Not a bad bunch of skills to be gained for 45 minutes of football and fun, don’t you think?
Does SoccerDays cater to a particular age group?
Yes we do, and for very good reason! Whether your child is big or small for their age, our kids’ football classes are separated into three age groups and carefully designed to match toddlers’ and older kids’ physical development.
No matter their ability level, the children in all age groups get to play and learn at their own pace in a safe environment.
Our coaches aim to give the kids a positive introduction to football, taking them from the very basics of ball skills to being little dynamos on the football pitch, building confidence and having fun every step of the way.
Yellow class
This class covers children aged from 2 to 3½ years of age, and helps children develop a foundation of social skills.
They also get to exercise using various body movements while also getting used to the ball and learning how to kick and build confidence.
Essential football skills will begin to take shape, from dribbling and changing direction to stopping the ball.
Parents get to see their child grow in confidence and become part of a team as they play.
Parent Mrs Reeder says:
“My three-year-old loves coming here. There’s plenty to keep the kids occupied and entertained. Coaches are brilliant with the kids and make it a fun time for everyone. Great job SoccerDays!
Orange class
The second of our three kids football classes covers 3½ to 5 year-olds. At these ages, children show greater awareness of their surroundings and are more confident using different body movements.
Your child will learn more skills and gain an understanding of basic team play. They also develop better control running with and stopping the ball, while striking skills for passing and shooting get stronger.
The best part is, their confidence builds and making friends becomes natural!
Red class
Our third kids football class is for 5 to 7 year-olds. Here, children understand how to kick and control the ball with different parts of the foot, all in a safe, structured environment.
Their improved concentration and understanding helps build confidence and enables kids to practice a wider range of important skills, while more time is spent playing matches.
Children become more confident in a game situation, understand what it means to be a good sport, and show a better awareness of positional play.
Parent Melissa McKeever says:
“Our son has been attending SoccerDays sessions for over a year now and he absolutely loves it. The coaches are all fantastic and ensure that all every child is included.”
Fun in a structured environment
Our football camp is specially designed for children aged 4 to 8 and no particular ability is required to take part, because camp is all about having fun!
Children are grouped together within a similar age group, and our sessions allow everyone to take part at their own pace, feel comfortable in a friendly environment and enjoy a day of play, football and great sport.
Each day offers a structured framework for the children, echoing the school day with two 15-minute snack breaks and a 30-minute lunch.
At camp, your child will learn skills such as dribbling, shooting, passing and coordination.
There are LOTS of competitions, from small-sided matches, scoring goals and penalty shootouts, as well as some of the games played at our popular football parties!
Here’s the really great thing: there are several booking options for parents, including a half day camp in the morning or afternoon or a full day, and your child can take part in one daily session or come for the full week. Back of the net!
Great for girls and boys
One of the greatest and most visible things about our football classes (on top of littlies learning essential motor skills, life skills, ball skills, playing lots of fun games and making loads of friends) is when we say they’re for all children, we really mean it.
Chances are, the mums of the children coming to our football classes were told they couldn’t play football, or stayed away from games, when they were a child because it was for boys.
They could have been absolutely passionate about the beautiful game, but either chose not to play or were forced to stay off the pitch.
We’re proud to say that’s not the case at our football sessions!
Lots of girls across the age groups come and have a kickabout, and get all the same benefits: a boost to their social development and self esteem, an introduction to sport as part of a healthy lifestyle, and a chance to develop some smart skills in a game situation.
Parent Louis Bellintani says:
“I booked my twins for the summer term and they loved it. It’s given them more confidence and the coaches are absolutely great. I will definitely be booking them for next term.”
Our coaching experience
SoccerDays’ directors have over 30 years experience of teaching sport to young and pre school children.
Using that experience and knowledge, they designed a unique toddlers football programme to help little ones learn essential skills and combine that important physical activity with fun games and play, all aimed at several age groups.
We understand our coaches are a key component of the success of SoccerDays’ kids football classes: their ability to interact and engage with young pre-school children while offering football training requires lots of individual qualities and skills.
Aligning with the Early Years Foundation Stage
The coaches teach our football training classes to children with a wide range of abilities and interests: encouraging them to have fun, play footie and participate in a pressure-free environment.
Of course, the coaches and parents know that behind all the fun and football training, the programme offers ways for kids to improve their physical, personal, social, emotional, communication and language development, areas all recommended by the Department of Education Early Years Foundation Stage.
Fitness through play
At SoccerDays’ football classes, the emphasis is on fun and for every child, across all the age groups, to have a fantastic time. But there’s no hiding from the fact that the physical activity of football – as in any sport – does the kids the power of good.
Chasing after a football or dribbling around obstacles during a class can boost a toddlers’ coordination and fundamental movement, all with the support of our coaches.
As their abilities develop with every class, the confidence of each child rises. Even better, as they progress from toddlers to young children and enjoy being part of a team sport, what children learn in our football classes can also help them focus in school.
A word on nutrition
Getting your children to a fun-filled football class may be easy, especially after their free session, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to overload them with information about healthy eating.
We ask parents to bring along a bottle of water for their kids so they don’t dehydrate after all that running around with their team, but the main focus of our class is teaching the kids football skills, helping improve their coordination and making sure every child has a great time.
Our class could be a good way for you to start conversations with toddlers or children about the benefits of eating lots of fruit and vegetables, and how that can help them develop strong, healthy bodies!
Do the toddlers need any special kit for a class?
If your child is attending a free taster class, then it’s best if they wear sports clothing and trainers and bring a drink, water for preference.
If you and your little one decide this is absolutely their thing and sign up for a full course (it’s not quite as long as the Premier League season at six weeks) then we provide a football kit in SoccerDays’ colours consisting of a shirt, shorts and socks. It is included as part a one-off registration fee of £20.
Parent participation in football classes
We love watching proud mums and dads beaming as their children learn about football and develop essential skills during our classes.
Although we require parents to stay for the session, we encourage them to help settle the toddlers and children in, but not to get involved in the class itself.
Save that kickabout with your child for when you’re at play in the garden or the local park, and watch them dazzle you with their co ordination and the kicking skills they’ve been taught at our classes!
Sign up for your toddler football class
It couldn’t be easier to kick-start your child’s interest in sport or let them indulge their love of football, by signing them up to a SoccerDays’ class.
You can find our timetable here, complete with booking information about each football class and where you and your children attend, or you can find out how to book here.
Parents looking to get their children a slot in the Holiday Camps should click here, while information about our hugely popular football parties can be found here.
Alternatively, you can call us on 01268 410 680 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, email info@soccerdays.co.uk or use this contact form to reach us.
We hope to see you and your toddler at our next football class!
