If you want your child to have a healthy and active lifestyle from a young age, then the best way to do it is by introducing them to a fun sport. Some of the most popular sports that lead the way in popularity among five to 11-year-olds are netball, rugby, swimming and football for children.

Football’s popularity is based on its simplicity. All you need is a ball and a little bit of space to play in and you’ll soon have your kids running about as they dream of becoming the next Harry Kane or Raheem Sterling.

If you’d like to introduce your child to football training, then there are a number of ways in which you can do so. They may already have an interest in the beautiful game or they may not be aware of the fun that can come from kicking a football around.

Whatever your situation, here are some of the steps you can take to introduce your child to football training.

Buy them a football

 

In other to begin the football training for your children, the most obvious football training accessories to start is by purchasing a first football for your child. Start small with a size two or three which will be easy for them to play with no matter how young they are. Once they have their own ball, you’ll find them happily kicking it around the home environment, learning the very basics of football and keeping active without even realising it.

You could even pick out the ball together, this makes it fun for the child. Nowadays, there are hundreds of designs, colours and brands. Letting your child choose their favourite can get them more involved from the start.

You could even present the ball to your child on a special occasion, this way, the child views the ball as a special gift is to present it to them on a special day. This could be a birthday, at Christmas or as a reward for something they’ve done either at home or at school. By associating the ball with a fun occasion, they’re more likely to have fun playing with it.

Encourage your child to watch football

 

Once your child has realised how much fun kicking a ball around can be, you can begin to introduce them to the concept of football as a sport. Sit down and watch a game on television with them, explaining what is going on and answering any questions they might have. Talk about the different hairstyles, boots and kits.

Even better would be taking them to a live game. This doesn’t have to be a Premier League clash, but your local Football League or even non-league side. That way they can experience the atmosphere and the magic which comes with competitive football.

Set up a goal in your back garden

 

As their knowledge of football increases, your child will pretty quickly want to do what every child starting out in the sport wants to do – score goals. By getting another football training accessories by building or buying a small goal for your garden, you can encourage them in this venture whilst also beginning to teach them basic skills such as how to strike a ball, this is a good football training for your children.

Pop-up goals are also a great idea as you can play in the garden and take them to the park with you! Having goals are also a great way to play 1vs1 with each other and taking penalty shootouts!

Football Fundamentals

After teaching them the basics patiently, your child will want to move onto more complex football skills such as bringing a ball under control and how to dribble successfully. You will be surprised by the amount they can learn playing by themselves, with siblings or parents. While this is good news, you must always remember to keep the sport fun and not push them too hard when you are training for your children in football – they’ll only remain interested in playing football as long as they’re enjoying it.

Sign them up to a weekly football session

The final step when it comes to introducing your child to football is signing them up to a weekly football session. Here, they’ll receive professional coaching which will enhance their skills in a fun environment. They’ll also learn about the benefits of teamwork as they play with a large group of other children, possibly for the first time – making potential friends for life and setting them onto the path of a lifelong love of football.

If you would like to introduce your child to football, try our fun weekly football sessions delivered by top FA qualified coaches for free!