My 7 year old boy has been obsessed with ‘the beautiful game’ for over a year and a half now. That’s 1 birthday and 2 Christmases of footie. Which makes me an expert in football-related gift ideas!
Now, the Internet is a great thing. There’s all sorts of amazing stuff to be found. And also a lot of old dross. Especially when you’re looking at what to buy for a football mad kid.
So, if you are looking to get a football gift, and to get it right, read on. Take my expert advice and you’re about to become the very best parent/godparent/friend that kid will ever have!
I have linked to these top gifts for a football mad kid. As I am an Amazon affiliate, I will get paid a teeny tiny amount if you buy from my links. But it won’t cost you a penny more!
1. What to buy for a football mad kid? A football, of course!
Don’t look at me like that!
This isn’t just any old football. This is a FOOOTY ball and it is nothing short of genius.
This ball comes in a teeny tiny package of little plastic pieces. It looks like some kind of Mensa challenge in a packet.
I can’t tell you how utterly underwhelmed I was with it when it arrived. Even after it was put together, to be honest.
But Big Boy has played with this ball non-stop. It’s the first thing he turns to every morning, and the first thing he heads for every afternoon when he’s back from school. For us, it is an ‘indoor only’ ball, so it’s used for indoor footie and mastering tricks.
It’s so desperately light that you can’t imagine it could ever do any harm. (Even I can’t imagine it and I do have a great imagination for potential catastrophes)
We have big glass doors in the back living room and he spends hours kicking this lightweight, clean plastic ball full pelt against them. And, with goalie gloves on, he dives to catch the ball back again on the deflect.
And, apparently, you can make a few changes to it to transform it to other balls for different sports.
…like we ever will!
2. Top Trumps: World Football Stars
Of course, you’ll have heard of Top Trumps. Everybody has.
But, let’s assume you’ve been away. Or been in a coma for several years.
Top Trumps are playing cards and come in hundreds of different themes. We have Deadliest Predators, Creatures of the Deep, Dinosaurs, Planes and, of course, Football.
Each of the footie ones has a football player and various stats and ratings, like Attack, Defence, Height, Trophies, Top Trumps Rating.
It’s a pretty simple game. Each player has a card, take it in turns to choose a category and the player with the highest number for that category wins that round. And the card of the other player, or players.
And it’s really easy to play.
Well, until the kid memorises all the stats of all the players.
..and that’s what makes it a top gift idea for football mad kids!
(While you’re there, take a look at the other packs of Top Trumps. There’s really something for everyone. I often get a few packs and keep them aside for birthday presents)
3. Five a Side Total Action Football Game
When you’re thinking about what to buy for a football mad kid, a tabletop footie game has got to make the list.
I’d love to tell you that this is the only tabletop footie game we have.
…but it’s not.
‘We’ currently have 3 different games of this type, but this is the Daddy of them all. This is the one that is played with obsessively.
What’s so great about it?
Given that I know zero about this, apart from watching the joy on Big Boy’s face, I’ll leave it to the experts at Amazon:
The fast paced realistic table top football game.
Now with a 5-a-side team for easier management.
Excitement, Pace and skill of a real football match.
With magnetic action so each player can pass, shoot or trap the ball.
Features power-strike action, glide-ball easy player slide technology and diving goalie!
All I know is that he loves, loves, loves it!
Click on the link below to make your child’s day!
4. Books about footie
If the kid you’re buying for is anything like my football-obsessed boy, it’s hard to get him to sit still. He’ll want to be kicking, chasing, catching and heading all day long. Which makes it tricky to get them to read.
…unless you can combine reading with their One True Love: Football!
Big Boy, aged 7, enjoyed reading The Fox and The Ghost King by Michael Morpurgo last summer. It combined his passions of football and history and, finally, ignited a joy of books.
In fact, he enjoyed it so much that he read it twice!
He has also given The Football Boy Wonder by Martin Smith a resounding thumbs up. And is now reading the sequel, The Demon Football Manager.
(Don’t forget books when your’re thinking of what to buy for a football mad kid. Click here for some great book ideas.)
5. Goal Post
There are all sorts of options for these. You’ll need to consider the size of the garden and what they’ll be used for.
Because, as ever, size isn’t everything.
A pair of big goal posts is great for a match. But if the kid has a little garden and often practices alone, they’re not much good.
If there’s not going to be a goalie, a small pop-up net might be better. The kid can practice the accuracy of his shot better with a smaller goal.
Head on here to Amazon to check out which goal option is best for you.
