Soccer Gifts for Kids: What Actually Gets Kicked
The soccer gifts that get used are the ones a kid can kick alone, in the yard, in January. Start with a ball in the right size for their age group: size 3 through U8, size 4 from U9 to U12, size 5 from U13. Under eight, add a pair of pop-up goals. From about eight to twelve, a rebounder or a hands-free trainer turns “nobody will pass with me” into reps. From thirteen, a proper bag that carries the ball. Cleats and shin guards are the two gifts to be careful with, because both have to fit. Each age below gets one worked example per category.
Nothing here is ranked and nothing gets stars. It is sorted by age and by what is still getting kicked when spring sign-ups open.
The rule before you buy: the ball size comes first
The single most common soccer gift mistake is a ball in the wrong size. A size 5 under the tree for an eight-year-old looks generous and plays heavy. Our soccer ball size by age chart has the full breakdown. The quick version from AYSO’s rules: size 3 for 6U and 8U, size 4 for 10U and 12U, size 5 from 14U.
Two questions before you shop:
- What U-age is the child playing this season? It is on the roster or the registration receipt, and it can differ from their birthday age.
- Is anything already on the coach’s list? Cleats and shin guards are fit purchases, not surprises. More on those below.
Then the same rule as every gift list on this site: practice gear beats game gear. A ball, a goal and a rebounder live by the back door and get used four times a week. Nothing on that list has a size except the ball.
Under 8: a size 3 ball and two small goals
At this age a gift works if it turns the yard into a game without an adult refereeing.
A size 3 ball. The Select Classic V21 in size 3 is the size 3 ball we use as the worked example elsewhere on this site. Bright, the right size for U6 and U8, and sturdy enough to live outside. Buy two if there are siblings. One ball between two small kids is a custody dispute.
Pop-up goals. The PUGG 4-foot pop-up goals come as two goals with a carry bag, per the listing. Two goals make it a game, which a five-year-old will play for far longer than a drill. They are the same goals behind the small-sided games in our backyard soccer drills.
Sideline observation: a five-year-old will play keeper in a pop-up goal for exactly as long as an older sibling is shooting at it softly. Plan the sibling.
Ages 8 to 12: a size 4 ball and something that passes back
This is the size 4 window and the age when touches start to matter. The gift that helps most is one that returns the ball, so practice does not depend on a parent being free at 4:30.
A size 4 ball. The Select Classic in size 4 is the same ball line one size up, so a family moving from size 3 keeps the feel. Check the U-age first; an eight-year-old can still be in size 3.
A rebounder. The SKLZ Quickster soccer trainer is listed as a dual-sided rebounder for solo passing, receiving and trapping, with an adjustable frame and stakes. It is the biggest gift on this page and the one that gets used most by a kid who plays every season. Measure a flat spot in the yard before ordering.
A hands-free trainer, for small yards. The SKLZ Star-Kick solo trainer is listed as a hands-free solo trainer that fits ball sizes 3, 4 and 5. It suits the kid with a patio instead of a lawn, and it is cheap enough to be the stocking-stuffer version of a rebounder.
Ages 13 and up: a size 5 ball and the bag
Older players have the basics. What helps now is a full-size ball of their own and a bag that holds everything.
A size 5 ball. The Select Classic in size 5 is the worked example on our ball size page. A personal ball for the yard means the team ball stays in the team bag.
A soccer backpack. By U13, cleats, shin guards, a water bottle, a jacket and a ball do not fit in a school bag. The adidas Stadium soccer backpack is listed as holding a size 5 ball, with a vented gear pocket. How the bag gets packed the night before is a household system, and That Suburban Momma’s gear staging setup covers it.
Cleats and shin guards: fit purchases, not surprise gifts
These are the two most-wanted soccer gifts and the two most likely to be wrong.
Cleats have to fit a foot that will be bigger by spring, and the stud type has to suit the surface the team plays on. Our kids’ soccer cleats sizing guide covers both. If you want to wrap cleats, wrap a gift card and a promise of a shoe-store trip in February.
Shin guards are sized by height, not age, and brands do not agree on what “small” means. The shin guard size chart lays three brands side by side. A pair that is too long or too short gets left on the bench.
Both make excellent gifts with the child in the store. Neither makes a good surprise.
Stocking stuffers that get used
- A pump with needles. The Franklin Sports ball maintenance kit is a pump, needles and a pressure gauge in one case. Every soft ball in the garage comes back to life.
- A skills ball. The Select Super Skills mini ball is a size 1, listed for skills training and juggling. It is a toy in the hallway and a challenge in the yard: how many touches before it drops?
- Long socks and hair ties. Unglamorous, constantly lost, always needed.
Gifts that aren’t things
- Tickets to a match. A pro, college or minor-league game in your area. Seeing the game live does more for a U10 player than any poster.
- A standing driveway date. Ten minutes, three times a week, before the spring season. It beats anything in a box.
- A winter session. If your club runs indoor or futsal sessions over the winter, a sign-up makes a good envelope under the tree. Ask the club which programs its coaches trust.
Coach and team gifts are a separate list. A small thank-you from the team at the end of the season is the usual shape.
What to skip this year
- A ball in the next size up “to grow into.” It plays heavy all season.
- Cleats or shin guards as a surprise. See above.
- Big agility ladders and speed kits for under-8s. A ball and a goal cover the same ground, and a five-year-old will use them.
- Pro jerseys in an adult size. Kids grow, but not that fast.
When to buy
Buy before the holiday rush and keep receipts, especially for anything with a size. When spring registration opens is local, and That Suburban Momma keeps a youth sports registration calendar for exactly that question.
FAQ: soccer gifts for kids
What is a good soccer gift for a 6-year-old?
A size 3 ball and a pair of small pop-up goals. Together they turn any yard into a game without an adult having to run it.
What are good soccer gifts for boys who already have everything?
Practice gear that adds touches: a rebounder, a hands-free trainer or a skills ball. Most kids who “have everything” have the game gear and not the practice gear. The same list works for girls.
What size soccer ball should I buy as a gift?
Size 3 through U8, size 4 for U9 to U12, size 5 from U13. Check the child’s U-age on the roster before buying.
Are soccer cleats a good gift?
Only if you know the size and the surface the team plays on, and keep the receipt. Otherwise a gift card and a store trip in February works better.
What soccer gift helps a kid practice alone?
A rebounder or a hands-free solo trainer. Both return the ball, so no partner is needed.
