Introducing your little ones to football can be a great experience for both you and your infant. With that being said however, it’s important to set realistic expectations to get the most out of the positive and enjoyable journey of infant football. In this blog, we explore what setting realistic expectations looks like in infant football and how to make the early stage of football enjoyable for your children.
If you are thinking of enrolling your child into a football academy, when they are toddlers and during infanthood are great times to start. As your little ones hit huge developmental milestones, football can help your kids grow and flourish. If you are wondering if your child is ready for infant football, check out this blog!
Let’s dive straight into our guide on setting realistic expectations for infant football.
What Are Some Realistic Expectations for Infant Football
Enjoyment
The main goal when introducing an infant to football should of course be enjoyment and fun! At such a young age, infants may not yet be ready to understand some of the more complex rules of the sport or engage in structured play. Instead, we focus on making football a fun and interactive part of their daily life. Simple activities like rolling a football to them, allowing them to kick it, or playing fun, short games can help them develop a love for the sport without any pressure.
This is one of the first expectations we set in our infant football classes at Kixx. Above all else, we want your little ones to have lots of fun and get real enjoyment out of the game.
Basic Motor Skills
Football lessons for kids can be a really helpful way of aiding their development, especially for infants. There are so many benefits of football for infants, one of which being the positive impact it can have on their fine motor skills. Infants are in the critical stage of developing their motor skills. Activities in their football practice should be focused on enhancing their coordination, balance, and muscle strength.
Setting realistic expectations such as them chasing after a ball, kicking it, or even just handling it with their hands can massively add to their physical development.
Patience and Encouragement
Setting realistic expectations for infant football isn’t just for the kids, but for coaches and parents too! It’s super important to be patient and encouraging with children who are learning new skills. Infants, as with children at any age, learn at their own pace, and what might come naturally to one child could take a bit longer for another.
Being realistic means we celebrate small milestones and avoid setting strict expectations, which could inevitably put them off the learning experience. Your enthusiasm and positive reinforcement will help build their confidence and keep them engaged!
Social Interaction and Play
Football can also be a really good way for infants to interact with other children of a similar age, and with a similar interest. This can extend beyond their sessions at a football academy, you can encourage children in their playdates to take part in simple ball games that enhance their social skills and teach them the basics of teamwork and sharing.
Avoiding Over-Scheduling
When we are setting realistic expectations for infant football, it’s important not to overwhelm them. As with adults, too much of something on someone’s schedule can really take the enjoyment away from it – and remember rule number one… fun!
Balance is key.
While it’s really good to introduce them to a football academy, it’s equally important that they have plenty of unstructured playtime as well, not including a football! This allows them to explore their own interests and develop a well-rounded set of skills.
Parental Involvement
As we mentioned earlier, football for infants at Kixx goes beyond the child, and it’s equally important that parents are involved too. Your involvement as a parent, family member or carer, will play a huge role in shaping your infant’s experience of football.
Participating in activities, showing enthusiasm, and being a role model are all ways in which you can set realistic expectations for infant football and help your child grow in the sport.
Infant Football At Kixx
Here at Kixx, we are all about setting realistic expectations for toddler and infant football. We think it’s is so important not to push little ones. But instead to also encourage them through play. Setting realistic expectations for infant football is about fostering a love for the game through fun and engaging activities.
Focus on enjoyment firstly without the pressure of achieving specific milestones. With patience, encouragement, and a positive approach, you can help your child develop a lifelong appreciation for the sport and getting active!
If you want to enrol your loved one into an infant football class, why not find an academy near you?
