Now that spring is here, I’m taking Veronika on more outdoor excursions. One great way to spend time with your almost-six-month-old is to catch a local game of soccer! Not only will watching the action strengthen his or her eye muscles and tracking skills, but there is so much to see and talk about, and great new vocab to teach.

For Veronika, the soccer “game” was actually big brother’s practice. If you don’t have a big sib or friend to watch play, consider catching a local elementary school game, or even watching the big kids from a high school nearby!

Either way, Veronika seemed to love the atmosphere right away, soaking up the sun on a blanket despite an unusually chilly spring morning. I brought along a little ball so she could enjoy the tactile element, as well.

We watched the big kids move down the field. I pointed out all their motions to her, which involved some great verbs. Running:

Kicking:

Drills where they dribbled or tapped cones with their feet:

She was very absorbed watching it all – quite the little spectator!

In sum, a game of soccer is a beautiful way to spend some time with your baby, long before he or she is old enough to play.