Activity gift ideas: Kicking health and social goals with soccer

The World Cup is in full swing with exciting games, surprising results and true team spirit! Unsurprisingly, our kids are finding themselves awake in the later hours with parent approval! Enjoy it while it lasts little ones..

Called soccer or football, this is world’s most popular sport and for good reason. The game itself is really simple with few rules and easy to learn. All you really need is a ball, shoes (not compulsory) and a patch of grass or sand to have a kick with friends.

It’s an inexpensive and fun game to play which caters for all ages and genders with many health and social benefits.

For children in particular, soccer is a great, generally low-contact sport which can be enjoyed by kids with any level of athletic ability. It helps increase cardiovascular health and aerobic capacity while strengthening core muscles and building body flexibility.

Beyond health, there are several others benefits to be enjoyed. Soccer helps kids develop coordination, concentration and resilience while promoting teamwork and sharing. It also provides a social environment for kids to meet other children, learn how to communicate in a group setting and exercise with colleagues and friends.

All these benefits can help increase a child’s confidence, improve self-steem and reduce anxiety. The fats pace of the game also encourages children to think fast and make decisions, which will help with their problem-solving skills.

Of course, as a sport that requires players from constantly shifting between walking, running and sprinting over a period of time, injuries can happen. Also, organised competitions can lead to more contact between players.

To minimise the risk of injuries, always warm up and stretch before a game. If your children are playing at a more competitive level, make sure they are wearing the appropriate protective equipment.

If playing soccer is not your kid’s thing, you can all still watch together. Watching games together with family and friends is a wonderful way to help children focus while promoting some family time. During international tournaments like the World Cup, it’s also a nice way for the little ones to learn more about other countries around the globe.

Enjoy the final games and the sleepless nights! And remember that soccer is a wonderful gift for kids. Be it a soccer jersey, runners, lessons or tickets for a game-  these are memorable gifts that your kids will truly enjoy and benefit from.

x Johanna