My 5 year old son has just started to show an interest in soccer so I thought I should buy him a ball of his own to practise. Before I went to the store though, I asked around because I hadn’t played soccer before myself and thought I should check out what type of soccer ball I should get and what size soccer ball is best for 5 year olds.
Our Recommendations:
Choose the Right Size Soccer Ball
I thought I could just get any soccer ball for a 5 year old but it turns out that there is way more to it than I had imagined!
I was told it’s important to ensure your kids are playing with the right type and size of soccer ball for their age group because if the soccer ball is the wrong size then there is the danger you will restrict their development and they can even lose interest in the game.
The first step in purchasing a soccer ball is determining the proper size for your child. You can check with your soccer team coach or organisation to do this.
I have a five year old and thought I could just go out and buy any soccer ball but it turns out I was wrong. My local soccer federation told me that the best size soccer ball for 5 year old soccer players is a size 3 ball which is one of the smallest balls available and is used until the age of 8.
These balls are generally 23 to 24 inches in their circumference and weigh between 11 - 12 ounces.
They are perfect for young children who are just learning to play the game because they are a good size ball for developing skills and they are not too heavy or too large and will not cause injury to your child.
I looked carefully as to which was going to be the best soccer ball for my child and found myself choosing between these three:
I found this ball by Senda Athletics to be a high quality soccer ball and it has all of these key features:
- Durable: 0.6mm PU cover, which gives increased durability
- Soft Touch: This ball has been machine stitched together to ensure strong seams, but it has a 5mm foam backing giving it that smooth feeling for softer touch
- Won't Deflate Easily: You don't have to worry about constantly repumping this one as it has a low bounce rubber bladder for extended air retention
On top of this the Senda comes with a 1 year warranty against manufacturer defects and they also give you a number of Fair Trade guarantees.
The only downside with this ball is that it is designed for indoor use or grass surfaces so if you want to use this for concrete surfaces then you may want to choose one of these balls here instead.
You can check out how well this ball plays in this video:
As I mentioned, I never really played much soccer before but when I think of a soccer ball then this is the image I come up with. This ball really looks like a genuine soccer ball should!
It also has:
- A Synthetic leather cover, which means it is a really durable ball but also has an extremely soft touch
- A Butyl rubber bladder, which means it won't easily go out of shape
- Traditional panel graphics with silver accents - which means it looks really cool!!!
This is an extremely popular ball and regularly receives 5 star reviews on Amazon, for it's style and durability. I mean, which kid wouldn't want one of these to kick around?
Ever wondered what's inside of a soccer ball?
Check out this video below to see exactly what your Wilson Soccer ball will be made of!
The perfect soccer ball for kids which was created specifically for kickabouts.
This Adidas MLS Nativo XXV Club Ball has a design based on the look of the MLS official match ball.
This is one of the best sellers in the market due to it's great price and stylish look!
My Recommended Soccer Ball for a 5 year old
I looked at the value of all 3 of these balls but decided that my son would most enjoy playing with the Senda Rio Futsal Training Ball because it was the most comfortable for him to use and he found it easier for him to control making practice more enjoyable.
He’s really pleased with it and plays every single day!