How to Help Your Kids Love Football

Getting your child to love football offers tons of benefits. Not only do you get to share your passion, but they also develop skills such as effective hand-eye coordination and get involved in a sport that helps keep them fit. The process takes a lot of time, but it can be worth your while if you use the right approaches to getting your child to fall in love with the sport. Here are a few suggestions to help you pull it off:

1. Watch a game with them

Whether through television or in person, watching a soccer game together is a great way to introduce the sport to your child. In addition to helping you spend quality time with each other, your child can associate the experience with you and develop the same passion later on. At some point, they can also mimic the movements they see in the field and realize how fun it would be to see themselves doing the same things as Neymar and Lionel Messi.

2. Play mini-games at home

Your child may be too young to play serious football, but it helps if you can play simple games in your backyard. Use these games as a fun way to train them how to dribble, pass, and take a shot at stationary targets such as a can or a wall painted with a target or marker. You can start by simulating a penalty kick using a smaller ball. You can teach your child the proper technique for kicking the ball. Start with subtle movements and give your child enough time to improve their legwork and accuracy. From there, you can move on to more advanced skills.

3. Take them to a training camp

Once your child has learned basic football skills, you can help them reach the next level by enrolling them at a licensed training camp. Look for football clinics or studios where your child can take up group classes handled by professional players. If you are in California, check out TOCA Costa Mesa which offers a tech-driven experience that will give your kids a reason to love the sport even more.

4. Give them gifts

As your child incorporates football into their life, you won’t have to think hard about what to give them for Christmas or their birthday. From a football kit to collectible memorabilia, explore football-themed gift ideas that will show how much you support their fondness for the sport.

5. Encourage and provide guidance

If your child is playing as part of a team, you need to encourage them. It won’t help to push them to their limits or punish them for failing to score a goal. Make them realize that playing football isn’t all about winning games and earning MVP awards. It’s also about having fun and becoming a better person.

Getting your kids to love football shouldn’t mean forcing them. Introducing the sport little by little should be enough to help them develop an interest.