How to Teach the Essential Skills of Kicking

Fundamental motor skills are important to enable children to perform every day functions, such as walking and running, playground skills (e.g. climbing) and sporting skills (e.g. catching, throwing and hitting a ball with a bat).  Kick is one of the primary important fundamental motor skills to learn, particularly for students in Early Childhood.  Teachers will learn the importance of kicking, as these actions require proper coordination and strength from multiple body segments to produce the skill. Children will develop improved hand-eye and foot-eye coordination through ball play.

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Students will learn:

1. Eyes are focused on the ball throughout the kick

2. Step forward with non-kicking foot placed near ball

3. Bend knee of kicking leg during backswing

4. Hip extension and knee flexion of at least 90 degrees during
   preliminary kicking movement

5. Contact the ball with the top of the foot

6. Forward and sideward swing of arm opposite kicking leg

7. Kicking leg follows through towards the target after ball contact

 

Teaching Kicking is a great way to engage your students with essential

fundamental movement skills.  This unit promotes coordination and team

skills.  Have a look at the Early Childhood PE Kicking Lessons Pack

(click the link to the side).  You will be fully equipped to teach a huge

range of activities for your grades K – 2.  You will also receive the I CAN

posters, student checklists, lessons and more.