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Exercise Daily – Soccer unquestionably one of the most beneficial games in the world. It offers all the benefits kids would need for their well-rounded development.
In addition to this, at an early age necessary to thrive in life, especially in today’s world.
Soccer for kids is not something new. It is a well-known game, and almost all the kids are well-familiar with it.
Over 250 million people from 200 different countries play Soccer which makes it the most popular sport in the world.
In this article, we shall discuss: what is Soccer? How to play it is it and What are the necessary conditions to play Soccer for kids? And the ultimate benefits of Soccer for kids.
Make sure you read the article till the end because here, you will get nearly everything you want to know about Soccer for kids.
So let’s jump on the article by answering our very first question.
What is Soccer? How is it played?
Football – a beautiful game is played worldwide. In the US, the same game is known as Soccer, with some exceptions.
Soccer is played in a rectangular grassy field. Generally, there are two opposing teams each team consists of 11 players —a goalkeeper with ten field players.
The maximum number of goals by a team is 16. The game lasts up to 90 minutes, and each team is given 45 minutes to play.
Necessary Conditions to play Soccer for kids
There are 800 different sports played in the world. People like sports that suit their aptitude. Some want to play cricket while others enjoy Soccer. Still, some people prefer indoor games to outdoor games.
Nonetheless, every sport has its unique set of rules and regulations.
The players must fulfill some conditions to be considered eligible for their favorite sports.
Below is a list of some necessary conditions to play Soccer for kids
- A wide-open area that can be used as a football/soccer field.
- A group of like-minded friends to make the team.
- Shirts, shorts, socks, and soccer boots, and Soccer gloves for the goalkeeper.
- It is encouraged if the kid is physically fit, active and energetic as Soccer includes a lot of running.
However, anybody can play Soccer anywhere without the restrictions of age, gender or type of ability.
Now, move on to the remarkable benefits of Soccer for kids.
1. Surprising Benefits of Soccer for kids
We live in an era of technology where kids have excellent access to digital devices. These gadgets undoubtedly come with many advantages along with some serious disadvantages.
Consequently, kids nowadays are no less than couch potatoes.
In such an era, if somehow your kid develops an interest in an outdoor activity such as Soccer, he will have an edge over other kids of his age.
We can broadly classify the benefits of playing Soccer for kids into four categories. These are:
Physical benefits of Soccer for kids
A lot of health benefits are the outcome of playing sports. Having physically fit and active bodies can do wonders at later ages.
The physical benefits of Soccer for kids are:
- It is a complete exercise!
- Development of a healthy body
- Better development of the mind
- Playing Soccer lowers the risk of injury.
- It improves motor skills.
It’s a complete exercise!
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every child should exercise at least 60 minutes a day. It keeps kids active and healthy.
Soccer is an excellent exercise in itself. It involves jumping, throwing, catching, kicking, galloping, hopping, and dodging. In this way, the whole body of the player moves while playing Soccer.
Soccer gives the opportunity to run great distances. On average, every player runs almost 9.65 km during the match. Therefore, the kids who play Soccer are active and fit.
The development of a healthy body
Playing Soccer helps burn the extra calories of the body, which reduces the risk of many diseases like obesity, diabetes, etc.
Soccer is also an excellent cardiovascular activity. The constant running for 90 minutes boosts stamina and regulates blood pressure. It lowers the risk of stroke and other heart problems that occur later in life.
Better development of the mind
“A healthy mind is found in a healthy body.”An unhealthy body may hinder the growth of the brain. Certain areas of the brain grow and develop as we exercise.
As Soccer demands sudden body responses, kids learn how to coordinate their minds and bodies well.
Playing Soccer lowers the risk of injury
This may sound contradictory but playing Soccer for kids actually lowers their chances of getting injured. A lot of running, jogging, and dodging teach them to control and balance their bodies.
So, practicing Soccer regularly helps the kids develop a better understanding of how to control nerves and calm their bodies during stressful situations.
It improves the motor skills
The development of motor skills influences the ability to comprehend environmental stimuli and completing the task. More improved the motor skills; better is the quality of the job done.
Soccer helps the kid develop an understanding of the ABCs (agility, balance, coordination and speed) of the body. All this is possible due to the development of the central nervous system.
2. Psychological benefits of Soccer for kids
Gone are the days when the physical benefits were considered the only benefits of exercise and playing sports. Recent studies have discovered another dimension of the consequences of exercise.
Soccer not only impacts physical health but also has a lot of psychological benefits.
Some of the interesting psychological benefits of Soccer for kids are:
- Soccer is a fun game
- Mood booster
- It reduces stress, depression and anxiety
- Regulates the sleep-cycle
- Increases self-confidence and self-esteem
Soccer is a fun game
Kids are full of energy and enthusiasm. They want to explore different places, learn new skills, and get things done themselves.
The accomplishment of various tasks is made possible by utilizing this energy.
Kids need to indulge in entertaining indoor and outdoor sports to keep themselves busy. Otherwise, we know that energy, if not appropriately utilized, leads to boredom and frustration.
Soccer for kids is a fun game. Soccer not only makes them physically active but mentally alert.
A mood booster
It is now an open secret that regular exercise improves the mood and makes one feel better about him.
Soccer involves a lot of exercises that trigger some brain centers, which stimulate the production of endorphins.
Endorphins lower the stress levels of the body. They make us feel more relaxed and optimistic about our lives.
In this way, these chemicals regulate the mood.
Reduces stress, depression, and anxiety
In today’s digital world, adults are not the only victims of depression and anxiety. There are equal chances for your kids to suffer from these diseases.
Generally, anti-depressants are considered the only solution to mental health problems, but that’s not true. Exercising can also help you cater to negative emotions.
Hence, Soccer helps your child cope with stress, depression, and anxiety.
Studies have confirmed that people who suffer from depression have a smaller hippocampus. It is a part of the brain which elevates mood. Playing sports regularly improves its nerve connections.
Regulates the sleep-cycle
Soccer for kids offers another amazing benefit, i.e. it regulates their overall sleep patterns.
Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins that relieve stress. As a result, the kid sleeps peacefully and wakes up fresh, energetic and happy.
Increases self-confidence and self-esteem
Anybody can play Soccer, but not everyone knows how to play it. It’s a skill that is learnt over time with practice.
Self-esteem is an image of the person about himself. In other words, how a person sees himself determines whether his self-esteem is high or low.
If the perceived image is lower than the ideal self, the self-esteem will be poor and vice versa. It can be improved if the person feels confident, liked, and encouraged.
Just like Soccer, confidence is a skill that is enhanced with practice. Soccer for kids is a great way to boost their confidence.
While portraying the game’s skills in front of others, an appraisal from the teammates and the society increases the current confidence level.
Kids feel stronger and better about themselves than before. The perceived self-image shifts towards the positive side of the scale. Hence, a more confident version of the child is seen. He believes in his abilities, knows his self-worth and eventually feels no need for social approval.
Such kids take failures as an opportunity to learn more. They find different pathways to reach the same goal without feeling hopeless.
3. Cognitive benefits of Soccer for kids
Soccer instills the habit of critical thinking in kids. They no more accept any random idea hastily rather process it first then comes to a conclusion.
Some other cognitive benefits of Soccer for kids are:
- Focus is increased
- Better decision making
- Polished problem-solving skills
Focus is increased
Engaging in physical activity promotes endurance. The ability to focus at a particular point is also increased. It becomes easier for the kids to concentrate more on their studies.
With the help of this ability, such kids show good academic performance than their peers.
Better decision making
Soccer comes up with fresh cognitive challenges every next moment. One wrong move and you can lose a winning game. So the decisions are to be made quickly.
In a split-second, the player has to decide whom to pass the ball and at what angle the ball should be kicked so that it enters the goal. This drill improves the decision-making ability of the kids.
Polished problem-solving skills
Since Soccer is a fast-paced game, the kids learn to tackle problems speedily and efficiently.
The ability to read the environment, focus on an object, locate its position in space, and estimate its speed relative to the person are skills that do not develop overnight. With practice and real-life experiences, these skills are polished.
The visual-spatial skills thus improved make kids better at problem-solving.
4. Social benefits of Soccer for kids
Playing Soccer for kids is an opportunity to build life skills and experience the joy of childhood to the fullest at the same time.
The social benefits of Soccer for kids are:
- Social skills are improved
- Personality grooming and character building
- Clear concept of gender equality
Social skills are improved
Soccer is a team game. Children meet new friends on a regular basis. They learn how to communicate effectively. So they improved their communication skills. Good communication skills give a plus point in academic and professional life.
While playing the game, kids identify their core personality traits that make them unique.They also study the strengths and weaknesses of their competitors then compete accordingly.
Personality grooming and Character building
We want to learn social ethics to live peacefully in a society. Kids who participate in sports learn social etiquette at a young age. Due to the vast exposure, they rapidly distinguish between the good and the bad. They adopt the attitude that is appreciated and avoid what is disliked.
Kids develop leadership qualities while playing in the grounds. Sports teach kids how to manage teams and carry out different projects. Kids become humble as they appreciate and celebrate the success of others. They embrace failures with grace.
The children who actively participate in outdoor sports like Soccer become mature, disciplined, and responsible.
Clear concept of gender equality
Everyone plays Soccer irrespective of their gender. Especially in youth soccer, both boys and girls participate in the same team.
This healthy competition makes girls more confident about their abilities and, at the same time and teaches boys to respect girls.
So Soccer for kids is a great way to teach them gender equality at an early age.
Conclusion
Playing sports has always been Important on account of the long-term effects they leave on the personality of the player.
Playing Soccer for kids is a way to acquire a healthy lifestyle that transforms their characters. It affects almost every area of their lives, develops leadership qualities, and enhances their brain capacities. Such kids lead healthy, content, and successful lives.
