At-Home Tips: Sidewalk Chalk Soccer Ball Challenge

SIDEWALK CHALK SOCCER BALL CHALLENGE  

BY: COACH SHANNON

Edits by: Kate Ford

Chalk can also be used to help establish balance and coordination skills. As with learning any new skill, it is important to start easy and slowly work your way up through slightly more advanced steps. To start, draw a line along the sidewalk and have your child crawl or walk along the line. As they get comfortable with this first step, try having your child walk the same line with their arms out to practice balance.  Once both of these steps are mastered, a soccer ball can be incorporated. 

Many kids first learn to hold the soccer ball in their hands as they walk or run. Using your hands instead of your feet at first is OKAY.  It is actually one of the first skills we see develop on the field at Soccer Buddies.  Using the same chalk line, have your little walk and then run with the soccer ball in their hands down the line.  Once this skill is mastered, move on to toe or “penguin” touches.

Of course, as your little gets more comfortable with the ball, we want to see that soccer ball move from their hands to the ground. Therefore, once your child has shown that they are able to walk and run with the soccer ball in their hands down the line, it is important to start encouraging them to use their feet. Remember to start slow. Begin with a short and straight chalk line and have your little dribble the ball down the length of this line. As your child improves, you can extend the line or make the line more complicated with zigzags or loops.

As evidenced by our classes, frequent toe touches on the soccer ball are directly linked to improving your little’s soccer skills and success on the field. This activity will help both your child’s balance and soccer skills improve as well as give them confidence to move up to the next Soccer Buddies class.

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