Football Activities for EYFS & KS1 | Ideas, Printables & Planning

⚽ Football Activities for EYFS & KS1 | Ideas, Printables & Planning

Get ready to kick off an exciting learning adventure with our collection of Football activities for EYFS and KS1. Whether children enjoy kicking a ball with friends, designing football kits, learning new skills or celebrating major tournaments, football provides wonderful opportunities for active learning, teamwork and communication.

Perfect for Nursery, Preschool, Childminders, Reception and Key Stage 1, these resources and ideas support physical development, mathematical thinking, early literacy, creativity and personal development through engaging football-themed learning experiences.

From role play and counting activities to PE challenges and international sporting events, you'll find printable resources, planning support and inspiring ideas to enrich your provision.

• ⚽ Why Is Football Such a Valuable Theme for Learning?

  Football is one of the world's most popular sports and provides meaningful opportunities for children to develop confidence, coordination and social skills.

  Through football-themed learning, children can:

  🏃 Develop Physical Skills

  • Balance and coordination

  • Ball control

  • Spatial awareness

  • Gross motor development

  🤝 Learn About Teamwork

  • Taking turns

  • Working together

  • Cooperation

  • Encouraging others

  🗣️ Build Communication Skills

  • Giving instructions

  • Listening carefully

  • Discussing rules and strategies

  • Sharing experiences

  🌍 Explore the Wider World

  • Countries and flags

  • International competitions

  • Different cultures

  • Sporting celebrations

📌 Jump to Section

• ⚽ Free Football Resources

• 🥅 Football Printable Provision & Teaching Resources

  • Core Football Themed Provision

  • High Frequency Word Resources

  • Movement, Exercise, PE Games & Sport Skills

  • Kids Olympics & Sports Day Resources

• 🧠 Football Planning & Pedagogy Support

  • 💡 Project & Theme Planners

  • 🌿 EYFS Football Ideas & Continuous Provision

  • 🏃 KS1 Football Activities & Learning Ideas

  • 🌍 Football Curriculum Links

  • 🤝 Teamwork, Wellbeing & Healthy Lifestyles

  • 🌎 Football Around the World

• 📅 Football Events & Special Dates

• 🌻 Related Topics

• ❓ Football FAQs

⚽ Free Football Resources

Explore our free Football resources and discover engaging opportunities for movement, counting, creativity and outdoor play.

💡 Join as a Free Access member to download the samples above and all other free resources available on Little Owls Resources at no cost. Alternatively, explore all membership options here.

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🥅 Football Printable Provision & Teaching Resources

Browse our collection of Football-themed resources designed to support learning across the curriculum.

• Provision Coverage

  🏃 Physical Development & PE

  • Football Party Pack

  • Exercise Cards

  • Sport Skills Cards

  • PE Games Resources

  • Movement Prompt Cards

  🗣️ Communication & Language

  • Football Alphabet Cards

  • Football Word Resources

  • Team Discussions

  • Sporting Vocabulary

  ✏️ Literacy & Early Writing

  • Football Writing Sheets

  • Football High Frequency Words

  • Word Mats

  • Bookmarks

  ➗ Maths & Problem Solving

  • Counting & Number Match Puzzles

  • Football Dice Games

  • Count and Colour Activities

  • Counting Playdough Mats

  • Subitising Flash Cards

  🎨 Creative Arts & Design

  • Design a Football Kit

  • Design a Flag

  • Football Bunting

  • Colour Match Activities

💡 All resources include editable (DOCX) and PDF file versions for flexibility in your setting. More file format information here.

Core Football Themed Provision

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High Frequency Word Resources

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Movement, Exercise, PE Games & Sport Skills

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Kids Olympics & Sports Day Resources

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🧠 Football Planning & Pedagogy Support

Support meaningful active learning through our professional planning resources and curriculum guidance.

Professional

💡 Explore our EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Suite for comprehensive planning and guidance (separate pathways for birth-18 months, 18-36 months, 3-4 years & 4-5 years).

Related Theme & Project Planning Support | EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy

(Documents within this section are available with our Professional Tier Memberships)

Related Areas

• Physical Development

• Outdoor Area Provision

• Expressive Movement

• Exercise

• Sport & PE Games

• Stay Healthy

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🌿 EYFS Football Ideas (Continuous Provision & Enhancements)

These ideas are designed as open-ended invitations that support active learning while responding to children's interests.

⚽ Football Skills Area

Provide:

• Different sized balls

• Cones and markers

• Targets

• Open spaces

Adult Role

Focus on enjoyment, exploration and confidence rather than competition.

Model language such as:

• kick

• roll

• stop

• pass

• aim

• balance

🥅 Teamwork Challenges

Create simple activities such as:

• Passing games

• Partner challenges

• Cooperative obstacle courses

• Team target games

Adult Role

Support turn-taking, collaboration and perseverance.

🎨 Design a Football Kit Station

Provide:

• Kit templates

• Team badges

• Flags

• Mark making materials

Adult Role

Encourage creativity and discussions about identity and belonging.

🌎 Football Around the World

Include:

• Maps

• Flags

• Photographs

• Team colours

Adult Role

Help children make connections between countries, cultures and sporting events.

✏️ Mark Making & Early Writing

• Match tickets

• Team lists

• Score sheets

• Team posters

Adult Role

Provide meaningful opportunities for writing within play.

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🏃 KS1 Football Activities & Learning Ideas

🏅 PE & Physical Development

• Dribbling challenges

• Ball control activities

• Team games

• Sportsmanship discussions

➗ Maths Opportunities

• Score recording

• Data handling

• Pictograms

• Counting and comparing results

✍️ English Activities

• Match reports

• Team descriptions

• Player profiles

• Event posters

🌍 Geography & Cultural Learning

• Locate countries on maps

• Explore international tournaments

• Compare national flags

• Learn about global sporting events

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🌍 Curriculum Links (EYFS & KS1)

🟢 EYFS Areas of Learning

Communication & Language

• Following instructions

• Sporting vocabulary

• Discussion and cooperation

Physical Development

• Ball skills

• Coordination

• Gross motor development

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

• Teamwork

• Confidence

• Resilience

• Turn-taking

Understanding the World

• Sporting events

• Countries and cultures

• Healthy lifestyles

Expressive Arts & Design

• Kit design

• Flag making

• Creative projects

🔵 KS1 National Curriculum Links

PE

• Fundamental movement skills

• Team games

• Coordination and control

Maths

• Number

• Statistics

• Problem solving

English

• Speaking and listening

• Report writing

• Vocabulary development

Geography

• Countries of the world

• Mapping

• Cultural awareness

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🤝 Teamwork, Wellbeing & Healthy Lifestyles

Football provides excellent opportunities to explore wider life skills.

Children can learn about:

Teamwork

• Supporting others

• Working together

• Celebrating success

Resilience

• Trying again

• Practising skills

• Building confidence

Healthy Lifestyles

• Exercise

• Physical activity

• Looking after our bodies

• Staying active

These experiences help children develop positive attitudes towards movement and wellbeing.

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🌎 Football Around the World

Football can provide a meaningful context for learning about different countries and cultures.

Explore:

Countries & Flags

• Designing flags

• Learning about nations

• Mapping activities

Global Sporting Events

• International competitions

• Sporting celebrations

• Team identities

Cultural Awareness

• Different traditions

• Shared experiences

• Global communities

This helps children connect their learning to the wider world.

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📅 Football Events & Special Dates

⚽ FIFA Men's World Cup 2026

The FIFA Men's World Cup takes place from June to July 2026 and brings together national teams from around the world. It provides wonderful opportunities to explore teamwork, countries, cultures and healthy activity through child-friendly learning experiences.

Possible learning opportunities include:

• Designing flags

• Exploring maps

• Team games

• Counting and scoring

• Discussions about fair play

Sporting Events

• FIFA Women’s & Men’s World Cups

• UEFA European Championships

• Local Sports Festivals

• School Sports Days

The following blog pages provide information and inspiration for related events:

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🌻 Related Topics & Themes

🏃 Physical Development

• Exercise

• Sport & PE Games

• Tennis

• Expressive Movement

• Outdoor Area

❤️ Wellbeing

• Food & Nutrition

• Stay Healthy

• The Human Body

🌍 Global Learning

• Countries Around the World

• Celebrations

🏅 Sporting Events

• Kids Olympics

• Sports Day

• Team Games

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❓ Football FAQs

What are good Football activities for EYFS?

Ball skills, teamwork games, kit design activities, counting games and movement challenges all provide meaningful learning opportunities.

How does Football support physical development?

Football helps children develop coordination, balance, spatial awareness, control and confidence through active play.

What can KS1 children learn through a Football theme?

Children can explore teamwork, healthy lifestyles, data handling, report writing, geography and cultural awareness.

How can I make Football inclusive in EYFS?

Focus on participation, enjoyment, cooperation and skill development rather than competition and results.

How does Football support the wider curriculum?

Football naturally connects to PE, maths, literacy, geography, wellbeing and personal development.

🌟 Explore More

• Discover our EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Suite

• Find out more about membership options

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