The Best Summer Sport for Kids, and Why Soccer Wins Every Time
The Best Summer Sport for Kids — And Why Soccer Wins Every Time
Summer means options. Swimming, basketball, tennis, volleyball, there's no shortage of ways to keep kids active when school's out. But if you're trying to find the one sport that's worth actually committing to this summer, soccer has a case that's hard to argue with.
And this particular summer? There's never been a better time to start.
Sign up your player up for their first TOCA class free.
Why Summer Is Prime Time for Soccer Development
During the school year, practices are squeezed between homework and everything else. Summer opens up the calendar -- and that extra time is exactly what skill development needs to actually take hold.
Young players who put in focused work between seasons come back sharper. Their first touch improves. Their confidence goes up. And when tryouts or fall leagues roll around, the gap between them and kids who took the summer off is noticeable.
The players who grow the fastest aren't always the most talented. They're the ones who found a way to get more time with the ball.
What Makes Soccer the Right Call This Summer?
Swimming, basketball, tennis, gymnastics -- summer has no shortage of great ways to keep kids active, and any sport that gets a kid moving and having fun is a win. Soccer just has a few things going for it that are hard to match.
It scales to any group size, any age, and almost any open space. The barrier to entry is basically zero -- a ball and some room to run. And because the sport is genuinely global, kids who play soccer aren't just learning a game; they're connecting to something millions of people around the world care deeply about.
That sense of belonging to something bigger than a single season or a single team -- that's what tends to make soccer stick.
Soccer Is Only Getting Bigger
Soccer is the most played sport in the world, and in the U.S. it's been growing fast -- in youth participation, in professional leagues, in the sheer number of kids who grow up with it as their first sport. The culture around the game is deeper and more visible than it's ever been.
That means more opportunities, more community, and more reasons for a kid who falls in love with soccer this summer to keep playing it for the rest of their life.
Why TOCA Is the Best Place to Play It
Not all summer soccer programs are the same. Most camp experiences follow the same basic formula: a few cones, some passing lines, a scrimmage. It's fun, but the development is slow.
TOCA Soccer camps and classes are built differently.
Training camps use TOCA's proprietary Touch Trainer and Smart Targets to give players roughly 200 touches per session -- about 10 times what a typical game provides. Players aren't waiting in line; they're working the whole time. Every session is led by trainers who are lifelong players, many of them current or former professionals.
Classes camps bring the team energy -- group skill development, games, and confidence building for players who thrive in a social setting. These are especially great for younger kids who are just falling in love with the game.
Both formats are available for players ages 5-17, and first-time visitors can try a class free.
No matter where your kid is starting from -- first season or fifth -- there's a TOCA program built for them.
How to Get Started
Find a TOCA center near you, check summer camp availability, and get your kid registered before spots fill up.
Browse all TOCA camp locations and register →
Want to try TOCA before committing to a camp? First class is free.
TOCA serves local communities throughout the United States and Canada, welcoming players and families to find their best through classes, training sessions, camps, leagues, and more. Soccer classes for ages 1-13 are engaging and educational, while individual or group training sessions for ages 7+ offer progressive levels of development for players looking to challenge themselves and have fun.
