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Anita
Director @ Kids Club Toowoomba City
Australian football (most commonly known as AFL or Aussie Rules) is a fun and engaging sport that kids of all ages can enjoy. It offers numerous benefits, including:
- Builds Healthy Habits: Aussie Rules is a great way to improve cardiovascular health and develop physical strength, agility, and flexibility. The drills, practices, and games provide a fantastic workout for kids and can help them develop healthy exercise habits.
- Teaches Teamwork and Other Values: Playing Aussie Rules teaches children the importance of teamwork, cooperation, and communication. Kids will learn how to work together towards a common goal and develop skills such as perseverance, trust, and patience. It’s also an opportunity for kids to learn important values such as respect, fairness, and sportsmanship.
- Greater Confidence: Aussie Rules is a sport that rewards hard work, perseverance, and skill. As kids improve their skillset and receive praise and recognition, it can boost their self-esteem and confidence.
- Enhances Coordination: Kicking, marking, and handballing the ball develop agility and coordination. Since Aussie Rules involves a lot of attention to detail, focus, and concentration, every child improves their “hand-eye,” “foot-eye,” and “body-eye” coordination.
- Contributes to Happiness: When playing Aussie Rules, your child’s body starts producing a feel-good chemical and happy hormones called Dopamine and Serotonin. These signal your child’s brain into thinking that everything is pleasurable and cheerful. Increased happiness gives children extra energy, satisfaction, and it can also be an outlet to avoid negative emotions such as anger and stress.
If you’re looking for a fun activity for your kids, Aussie Rules is definitely worth considering.
Items and Equipment Needed
To get started, you’ll need some basic equipment, including:- A football (also known as a footy)
- Goal posts (these can be real posts, cones, or other markers)
- A playing field (this can be a backyard, park, or other open space)
- Protective gear, such as mouthguards or helmets
- Training equipment, such as cones or agility ladders
Method/Steps
The rules of AFL can be a bit complex, especially for younger children. However, there are plenty of simplified versions of the game that are suitable for kids of different ages and skill levels. Here’s a general guide for how to play AFL with kids:
- Divide the players into two teams.
- Set up the goal posts at either end of the playing field.
- Start the game by having one team kick the ball to the other team.
- The objective of the game is to score goals by kicking the ball through the goal posts.
- Players can move the ball by running with it, passing the ball or kicking it to a teammate.
- Tackling is allowed, but only below the shoulders and above the knees.
- Once a player has possession of the ball, they can take up to four steps before they must either pass the ball or bounce it on the ground.
- If a player catches the ball after it has been kicked by an opponent, they are awarded a “mark” and can take a free kick from that spot on the field.
- The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins.
For the 2-3 age group, the focus should be on introducing the basic concepts of the game, such as kicking and passing the ball, as well as running and catching. For the 3-5 age group, the rules can be slightly more complex, but still simplified for their understanding.
Final Words or Additional Information
Australian football is a great way for kids to stay active and develop important skills, such as teamwork, coordination, and confidence. By playing this fun and engaging sport, your kids will be able to enjoy the great outdoors, make new friends, and learn important values that will benefit them throughout their lives. So why not grab a footy and head to the park with your kids today?
