Parents of babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers can join the list now. We get in touch in the spring of the year your child turns five, ahead of a summer start, with what's happening for their birth year.
Starting a new group depends on having coaches, so we'll also ask whether you could help. A group starts when there are enough children and enough adults to run it well.
We keep the list only until your child joins or their starting year has passed. Privacy.
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Three games to play at home
Each one starts without a ball, then brings the ball in. Stay on a stage as long as it's fun.
Stepping Stones Trail
Step on every stone, go around the rocks and through the grown-up tunnel, then walk back and go again.
Stepping stones to step on, a couple of rocks to go round, and the grown-up standing with legs apart as the tunnel at the far end.
Set up
Lay a few flat markers (or cushions, or paper plates) as stepping stones and a few cones as rocks.
At the far end, the grown-up stands with legs apart as a tunnel.
How to play
The child steps on every stone, goes around the rocks and through the tunnel, then walks back and goes again.
Stage 1no ball.Stage 2carry the ball, roll it through the tunnel and crawl after it. For the youngest, that is the whole game.Stage 3nudge the ball with a foot, walk to it, nudge it again, and one last nudge through the tunnel.
If a rock gets touched, everyone throws their hands up and shouts Whoosh!
Make it easier
Fewer stones, closer together, and no rocks.
Make it harder
Move to the next stage.
You need
flat markers, cushions or paper plates (stepping stones) (a few)
cones or anything soft (rocks) (a few)
ball (1, for stages 2 and 3)
Three things to say
Body first, then the ball in the hands, then the ball at the feet.
One instruction at a time.
Every wobble gets the same cheer as a perfect go.
Safety: Flat, soft markers only, nothing that slides or trips. Clear the floor. The grown-up stays close.
Virgil's tip: Whoosh! Everybody's hands up. Then go again.
A small goal or a big box is a hungry monster. Feed it the ball, and the grown-up makes a big gulp.
A small goal or a box on its side is the monster; the marker is where the ball sits for stage 2, and the cone is what you run round in stage 3.
Set up
Put a small goal, or a big box on its side, in front of the child. That is the hungry monster.
How to play
Feed the monster the ball, and the grown-up makes a big gulp.
Stage 1right up close, hands or feet.Stage 2from a marker a step or two back, with the grown-up putting the ball back on the marker each time so it is always a still ball.Stage 3get the ball back out of the monster's mouth, run round a cone and feed it again.
If it is not going in, move closer, never further away.
Count everyone's feeds together, never each child's own.
Make it easier
Move closer.
Use hands.
Make it harder
Move to the next stage.
You need
small goal, or a big box on its side (the monster) (1)
ball (1)
marker (1)
cone (1, for stage 3)
Three things to say
Kicking a still ball comes long before kicking a moving one.
One instruction at a time.
If it is not working, make it easier.
Safety: Soft ball indoors. Keep the box away from stairs and glass. The grown-up stays close.
Virgil's tip: Big gulp every time. Monsters are always hungry.
Green means drive (run) with engine noises. Red means freeze. Park on a marker at the end.
The grown-up at one end holds up green or red; the cars drive on green, freeze on red and park on the marker at the end.
Set up
The grown-up holds up something green or red.
Put a marker at the end as the parking space.
How to play
Green: drive (run) and make engine noises. Red: freeze.
Stage 1no ball.Stage 2carry the ball. It is the shopping in the boot.Stage 3the ball is the car. On red, stop it with a foot on top and freeze with arms up.
Park on the marker at the end.
Start with just two colours, and add amber once they have got it.
Make it easier
Just two colours, slow changes.
Make it harder
Add amber.
Move to the next stage.
You need
something green and something red to hold up (1 each)
marker (the parking space) (1)
ball (1, for stages 2 and 3)
Three things to say
Body first, then the ball in the hands, then the ball at the feet.
One instruction at a time.
Every stop gets a cheer.
Safety: Clear the floor. Keep well away from roads. The grown-up stays close.
Virgil's tip: Red means freeze. Arms up, foot on the car.
