Kickstart Kids
Kickstart Kids is Artisan Social FC’s program for children ages 2 through 6. Designed specifically for young children, the program builds football skills gradually through fun, age-appropriate activities designed for the way young children learn.
Our goal is simple: to give children a positive first experience with organized sport while laying the foundation for a lifetime of enjoying football. Over the course of five years, children progress from simple games and activities to confidently playing small-sided football games and preparing for Academy Prep.
Kickstart Kids is offered year-round, with separate registration for each fall, winter, spring, and summer season. Classes meet once per week, with the option to register for additional days at the sibling discount rate.
Ages 2–3
For many children, Kickstart Kids is their first experience participating in an organized activity away from home. Our first priority is helping children feel comfortable away from their parents in a fun, welcoming environment. As they become more comfortable, they learn to listen to coaches, follow simple instructions, interact positively with other children, and enjoy being part of a group.
At this stage, our goal isn’t to teach football—it’s to prepare children to learn. While football is introduced from the very beginning, most of each class consists of imaginative games and activities that children enjoy. As children become ready, football naturally becomes a larger part of the program.
Ages 4–5
As children grow in confidence and maturity, they begin making the transition from football activities to playing football itself. While classes remain fun and engaging, football becomes a much larger part of every session.
Children spend more time with the ball, developing the fundamental skills of football through activities, challenges, and games that gradually prepare them to play. During this time, they begin putting those skills together and discover the enjoyment of playing football.
While every child develops at a different pace, by the end of the U5 year, most children are ready to begin playing small-sided football games.
Age 6
The U6 year serves as the bridge between Kickstart Kids and Academy Prep. Children now spend most of each session learning and playing football, building on the foundation they developed during the earlier years of the program.
Training becomes more purposeful, with greater emphasis on individual ball skills, passing, and small-sided games. As children continue developing their technical skills, they also begin learning the basic ideas of the game. While sessions remain enjoyable and age-appropriate, they now begin to resemble football training in a recognizable way.
Next Step: Academy Prep
By the end of the U6 year, most children are ready to begin Academy Prep with a solid football foundation and an enthusiasm for continuing to learn the game.