A recent Ofsted report highlighted how children who hadn’t been to school as regularly because of the pandemic had slipped behind, not just with their learning, but also with their basic social skills.

However, one way of making sure that children can continue to develop into healthy, well-adjusted adults is to make sure they participate in some form of sport. Here SoccerKidz, who offer football clubs for children in London, outline some of the key ways in which youth football can help in this crucial area.

It Gets them Out of the House

Children’s social skills won’t develop if they spend all day at home watching TV, playing video games, or reading. Youth sports, like football, get them out of the house and into the habit of meeting and talking with other children their own age. This is on top of the well-known health benefits of taking part in sporting activities.

It Helps them Communicate

The ability to communicate is one of the most basic, yet essential social skills. Youth football can help improve this, particularly during matches when communication is crucial. For example, to indicate where they would like a pass to be played, either by pointing or talking. The same goes for expressing their own individual tactical changes to teammates during a match.

It Provides Friendship

Taking part in sports extends childrens friendship groups outside of school and the area where they live.

Signing up for football training, particularly outside of school hours, is also somewhere where children actively want to be and often encourage their parents to come along too – rather than the other way around. This is unlike school where attendance is compulsory, including in PE lessons. SoccerKidz can organise these as well, providing valuable PPE cover for school staff as well as making the lessons enjoyable for pupils.

It Teaches Them How to Win – and Lose

Social skills also improve when children realise that they can’t always have things their own way. That means sometimes losing as well as winning. Another way in which their development may be aided is if they have respect for authority, such as the coaches and team captain.

It Teaches Them Teamwork

With team sports like football, overconfident or cocky children soon realise that they will only achieve success if they help others who may be less skilled than they are. A team setting may also give nervous children the chance to stand up for themselves, to grow in confidence, and to flourish.

It Teaches them Discipline

All sports, including football, have rules. These relate to things what type of tackling is allowed, what happens if the ball goes out of play, and other basic principles of the game. Coaches can also set rules for specific activities – for example, training drills which have to be completed in a particular way, or within a specified  period of time.

Children quickly learn to follow these rules in order to progress, win, and ultimately achieve their goals. This is great preparation for many aspects of later life.

Football Clubs for Children in London with SoccerKidz

At SoccerKidz, we offer all manner of courses, including weekend youth soccer coaching for kids in London, afterschool clubs, evening clubs, weekend clubs, school holiday courses, elite clubs, and 1-2-1 coaching. The current coronavirus restrictions mean we are focusing a lot on individual skills.

We make sure that every session we put on is challenging, different, and above all fun for the children. Any criticism is always constructive. We are also following all the FA guidelines on youth coaching during the pandemic, particularly regarding social distancing and the cleaning of any equipment.

If you would like to know more about any of our courses, click on this link and fill in our online form or call us on 07946 260945.