Football, a sport loved by millions across the globe, isn’t just for adults and older children. In fact, introducing infants to the sport can have numerous benefits for their physical, cognitive, and social development. At Kixx, our football lessons start for infants as young as 18 months old, so we know just how important the game can be for our little superstars! In this blog, we’ll explore the top five benefits of football for infants.
The Advantages of Football For Infants
The benefits we are going to explore in today’s blog post are simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how advantageous football can be for little ones. Let’s explore, what we believe to be the top 5 benefits.
Motor Skills Development
One of the key benefits of introducing football to infants is the positive impact on their fine motor skills development. From the simple act of kicking a ball to reaching out and grabbing it, infants engage their different muscle groups whilst enhancing their coordination and balance.
Our coaches at Kixx work hard to introduce these early movement skills which will hopefully lay the foundation for more advanced motor skills as they grow.
Sensory Stimulation
As with the development of motor skills, we understand just how important it is for infants to get sensory stimulation and the role that sensory play can have in their development. Football provides a multi-sensory experience. The vibrant colours, the sound the ball makes when kicked or rolled, and the different textures they encounter when playing both indoors and outdoors contribute to sensory stimulation.
Being sensory stimulated helps support infants’ brain development, language development and social skills.
Social Interaction
This leads us nicely to our next point. One of the key benefits of football is the social interaction that little ones gain when they attend a football academy for kids.
Even at a very young age, infants massively benefit from social interaction and making friends. Playing football with other like minded children of a similar age introduces infants to the concept of shared experience and the importance of teamwork. Not just this, but in our football for infants classes, grown ups are encouraged to get involved too, helping you bond with your little ones and further developing their social skills.
Football for infants helps develop social skills such as taking turns, sharing, and understanding basic rules. These early interactions set little ones up for developing more social relationships as they grow.
Cognitive Development
Football for infants can positively impact their cognitive development. Tracking movement and understanding patterns are cognitive skills enhanced through football play. Additionally, infants learn to anticipate the ball’s direction, learn cognitive flexibility and problem-solving skills.
Wellbeing
Football for infants benefits them not only physically, but can have a hugely positive impact on their emotional wellbeing too!
Infants feel a sense of achievement when they successfully interact with the ball, paired with the joy of shared play with their friends, parents and coaches, which creates a positive emotional experience for little footballing superstars.
We encourage our infants to build a strong emotional foundation in our football classes, promoting a sense of security and confidence.
Football For Kids At Kixx
At Kixx, we host football classes for infants as young as 18 months old. It really is never too early to get your little ones involved! Football can host so many benefits for children of all ages!
Football can in fact be a valuable tool for promoting development in infants. From enhancing motor skills to social interaction and emotional wellbeing, the benefits of introducing football to infants are numerous.
If you are wanting to kickstart your little one’s growth journey with the simple joy of playing football and witness the positive impact it can have on their early development, find an academy near you!
Alternatively, you can reach out to a member of our team by calling guys on 01302 618080 or emailing admin@kixx.org.uk.
