Playing sports together helps children learn how to work as a team, a skill they can use throughout life.
Real life and on-screen football coach Charlotte Lynch AKA Coach Georgie in Football Fantastics talks us through the ways young footballers learn about teamwork, confidence and friendship.
Watch our video below to discover how good teamwork is about more than scoring goals.
Hi, I'm Charlotte Lynch, a footballer, presenter and actress, and you might recognise me as CoachGeorgie on CBeebies Football Fantastics.
As you can probably guess, we spend a lot of time playing football.
So today I wanted to take you through some of the ways in which sport, and specifically football, can help young people learn allabout the importance of working together and being inclusive.
Considering how simple it is to play, all you need is a ball.
Football is a brilliant opportunity for a lot of children to try team sports for the first time.
And you'll find plenty of local community clubs and organisations running sessions for lots of different age groups.
Preschoolers usually play five-a-side, allowing children to participate and learn first in small groups, making it easier to make friends and forge social connections.
Hi, I'm Taril. What position do you play?
Once we've found our teammates, one of the best things we can learn about playing in a team is to accept and respect our different individual skill sets.
Some of us are brilliant defenders, great at protecting the goal from the other team, while some of us love running down to the other end and scoring goals.
But we learn very quickly that everyone's skills are as important and as valuable in building a winning team.
Understanding this can inspire us to find and embrace our passion and accept everyone's individual differences.
When we're on the pitch playing, good teamwork is all about communication, sharing ideas and listening to others.
Whether that's speaking up and calling out to a teammate to pass the ball just at the right time, pass,or sitting quietly and listening to team tactics.
So it's called the Team Touch Back Heel Mega Play.
Everyone has a voice and everyone listens.
By playing football together, supporting and celebrating our teammates, no matter how we look or where we come from, we also learn about the importance of inclusion.
Playing football in a team is a great way for children to learn how to play and communicate with others effectively, understanding how everyone is different and how our differences can complement each other on and off the pitch.
Communication skills
Team play helps children develop strong communication skills by encouraging them to share ideas, listen carefully and work together towards a common goal.
Children learn the value of working together and discover how it can make their activities more enjoyable and successful.
Why teamwork matters
Playing as part of a team helps children learn that everyone has different strengths.
One child might enjoy taking the lead, while another prefers to listen and think before sharing ideas.
While some children love running and being active, others are great at solving problems or supporting their teammates.
Recognising and valuing these differences helps children develop empathy, respect and a sense of inclusion.
What do children learn from teamwork?
By working together, children learn to:
- Take turns and share responsibilities
- Listen to other people's ideas
- Communicate clearly and respectfully
- Solve problems together
- Support and encourage others
- Build confidence and friendships
Try this at home
You don't need a football pitch to practise teamwork. Simple activities can help children learn how to work together:
Build a tower using blocks and agree on a plan together.
Create an obstacle course and take turns leading each other through it.
Work together to complete a jigsaw puzzle.
Cook a simple recipe, with everyone helping with different jobs.
As your child plays, encourage conversations through questions such as:
- "What ideas does everyone have?"
- "How can we help each other?"
- "What worked well when you worked as a team?"
- "How did you solve that problem together?"
These everyday moments can help children develop the communication, cooperation and inclusion skills that will support them both on and off the pitch.
Watching CBeebies shows together
Watching Football Fantastics together is a great way to start conversations and activities with your child.
Just like in the film above, you could pause and chat about how the players work together, support each other and solve challenges as a team.
You can use moments from the series to help your child think about teamwork, friendship and what it means to encourage others, both on and off the pitch.
