Soccer is a great activity for preschoolers, because it is active and fun and teaches teamwork. When it is a rainy day and you cannot be outside playing soccer, doing a craft with your preschoolers is an option. Crafts that have a soccer theme can help the children get excited about practicing their soccer moves when the outside weather improves.
Paper Soccer Ball
A paper soccer ball is an easy craft that children can independently assemble. Cut large circles out of white paper, and have five or six black six-sided shapes for children to paste on them. Using glue sticks may be the cleaner way of having them stick the black shapes to the white ball. Have the children paste the ball on a larger piece of paper and draw themselves kicking the ball in the background.
Soccer Team Shirts
Talk about team spirit with your preschoolers. Discuss teamwork using concepts that the children understand, such as helping each other to reach a goal. Then, pass out paper cutouts of shirts that are the same color. A lighter color is preferable so that children can draw pictures on them with crayons. Have the children decorate their soccer shirts with pictures of their team or people exhibiting good teamwork.
Soccer Goal
It is not too early to teach young children about goals. Discuss with the preschoolers what goals are. You might ask them what they want to be when they grow up or what their family might be doing in a few years. Cut out white soccer goals, and have them draw pictures of what their goals might be for the future. Prompt them with ideas or give them options for pictures to draw.
Soccer Field
Give the children a green piece of paper. Cut out mini goals and a small circle to represent the soccer ball. Have them glue the pieces on the green piece of paper, which will be their soccer field. Let the children draw their friends playing soccer on the field with them.
Soccer Collage
Find pictures of children playing soccer and soccer gear in sports and soccer magazines. Cut the pictures out, and have the children select their favorite pictures. Give them a piece of paper and a glue stick, and let them glue the pictures on the paper. If available, have the child attach a picture of himself in the middle of the collage.
