Lil’ Kickers at Arena Sports Issaquah
Our mission is to inspire! Lil’ Kickers is an award-winning child development program that uses soccer to help children ages 18 months to 12 years tackle important developmental milestones through age-appropriate and fun-filled activities. We inspire kids to be active, strong, confident and well-balanced in order to unleash their awesome both on and off the field.
Classes are 50-minutes and are led by highly trained, energetic coaches who engage kids and help maintain their enthusiasm by challenging and encouraging them to learn and accomplish new things – preparing them for school, playdates, team sports, and beyond. More than one million kids have participated in Lil’ Kickers across the country.
Arena Sports Locations
Satellite Locations
Free Trial Class
At Arena Sports, we want to ensure that Lil’ Kickers is the right fit for your child. For first time customers, you can sign up for a free trial class to check out the program firsthand!
Registration
With open enrollment, you can register at any time through our convenient online process!
Summer Session: June 10 – August 30
Preview the Summer schedule now to prepare for registration–opening May 4th to current customers only!
Spring Session: March 11 – June 9
Make-up Class
You are able to make up any missed classes within the session in which you are enrolled. When scheduling your make-up class, select your class type, preferred location, and date/time that is available.
Free Trial Class
At Arena Sports, we want to ensure that Lil’ Kickers is the right fit for your child. For first time customers, you can sign up for a free trial class to check out the program firsthand!
Registration
With open enrollment, you can register at any time through our convenient online process!
Summer Session: June 10 – August 30
Preview the Summer schedule now to prepare for registration–opening May 4th to current customers only!
Find a Summer outdoor location near you!
Spring Session: March 11 – June 9
Make-up Class
You are able to make up any missed classes within the session in which you are enrolled. When scheduling your make-up class, select your class type, preferred location, and date/time that is available.
Bunnies
Bunnies classes introduce toddlers to soccer with games that allow them to run, play as a group and kick a ball. Geared toward a toddler’s unique way of learning, they learn balance and coordination.
- 50-minute class
- Parent participation is required
- Child/coach ratio: 15:1 (with parents on field)
Thumpers
Thumpers and their parents play organized games together to develop listening skills, balance, cooperation, sharing, ball skills and foot-eye coordination. Thumpers is the ideal next step for Bunnies veterans who are not yet old enough for the Hoppers level, and a perfect introduction to LiL’ Kickers for new players.
- 50-minute class
- Parent participation is required
- Child/coach ratio: 12:1 (with parents on field)
Cottontails
Cottontails is designed for children who are ready for more of a challenge than a Thumpers class, but who are not quite ready to be on the field without a parent or caregiver. The Cottontails curriculum is designed to build fundamental skills such as balance, coordination, and ball kicking in addition to helping build a sense of independence. As children progress through the session and become ready for more independence, parents can choose to transition to a less active role in the class.
- 50-minute class
- Parent participation is required
- Child/coach ratio: 12:1 (with parents on field)
Hoppers
Hoppers classes are fun and fast-paced, focusing on improving balance, coordination, and fundamental soccer skills. We utilize creative games to help kids develop listening skills, cooperation, and teamwork. Hoppers classes are the first class where children participate independently.
- 50-minute class
- Child/coach ratio: 7:1
Jackrabbits
Jackrabbits classes are designed to help transition children into non-competitive team play. Children learn basic soccer skills (dribbling, passing, trapping, scoring) and are introduced to more one-ball- oriented games and scrimmaging. Scrimmages focus on building teamwork and helping players understand how to apply skills in different situations. Some non-competitive soccer games are introduced.
- 50-minute class
- Child/coach ratio: 7:1
Big Feet
Big Feet classes are for five and six-year-olds who have not played soccer before. These classes concentrate on basic soccer skills (dribbling, passing, trapping, scoring) and building confidence on the field. Kids are introduced to the concepts of sportsmanship and team play. Kids will play some small-sided, non-competitive soccer games.
- 50-minute class
- Child/coach ratio: 12:1
Micro Classes
Micro Classes are developmental and non-competitive for intermediate players. Proper soccer techniques are progressively introduced and as kids grow and master various skills, they are introduced to more complex soccer skills. Micro Classes are for kids who have played soccer before either in Lil’ Kickers or another program.
- 50-minute class (15-20 minutes of instruction; 20-25 minutes of scrimmaging)
- Teams for scrimmage field a maximum of four players at a time
- Everyone gets equal playing time
- No goalies, no score-keeping, no league standings
- Child/coach ratio: 12:1
Skills Institute
Take the next step with Skills Institute – a soccer development program. Our players have fun learning and improving technical and tactical soccer skills while tackling key developmental milestones. Learn more.
Lil’ Kickers FAQ’s
Participants should wear comfortable clothes and athletic shoes (no outdoor cleats). Shinguards are not needed until Micro Classes and Skills Institute classes. Lil’ Kicker or Skills Institute jerseys are given to first-time customers for free, and can thereafter be purchased at a low cost. Outfitting your child in Lil’ Kickers garb is a fun way to make your child feel part of a team. Kids naturally appreciate looking like older uniformed kids and role models.
Each of our classes lasts 50 minutes with a water break halfway through. Between classes, there is a 10-minute break.
We offer four sessions a year (fall, winter, spring, summer) that break down into approximately 10-13 week cycles.
No, classes are 50 minutes and require a parent or guardian to be on-site at all times.
Yes! We offer open enrollment so that you can join anytime and have your class fees prorated. This means that you pay only for the remaining class and not the full session fee.
The session needs to be paid in full at the time of registration to reserve your child’s spot. Please note that we offer open enrollment, we do prorate class fees.
Yes! We offer a sibling discount of $15.00 for each additional child registered as long as the children are registered at the same time.
No, in order to maintain class ratios and consistency within the program, we schedule children for specific times and days. When registering, be sure to first determine which day best suits your schedule. If your schedule changes during the session and you need to switch days, we will try to accommodate your needs to the best of our ability. However, changes cannot be guaranteed and are based on space availability.
You are able to make up any missed classes within the session in which you are enrolled. When scheduling your make-up class, select your class type, preferred location, and date/time that is available. Schedule a make-up class here!
Ratios vary depending on several factors including the mobility of the children in the class, whether parents are participating in the class, and the level of technical instruction required. Typically, if a class has more than 8 children, there will be a second coach. Some exceptions may apply.
In this situation, we normally suggest placing the child in a Cottontails class. Cottontails classes are methodically structured and specifically designed to promote independence. We have found that these classes provide a successful, long-term solution to separation issues.
While many soccer programs are busy using traditional soccer skill drills to drive home the fundamentals of soccer, we approach coaching from a child-centered perspective. Because of this perspective, our main goal is to make learning fun for kids. We do this by putting instruction into a context that children understand, using special techniques designed around how kids naturally learn. Lil’ Kickers teaches your child the fundamentals of soccer but focuses on developing the whole child. Our program helps build social, emotional, and cognitive skills that result in our Lil Kickers becoming well-balanced and conscientious individuals on and off the soccer field.
Lil’ Kickers is a child development soccer program that teaches basic skills through fun, creative, and energetic games. Skills Institute also encourages age-appropriate child development and focuses on teaching more technical and tactical skills through various fast-paced, challenging and structured drills.
A higher level of specialized technical instruction is provided in Skills Institute classes, and the value of this instruction is priced accordingly.
Children with special needs are welcomed in our program as long as we are equipped to assist them accordingly. Please contact your our Lil’ Kickers Coordinator for more information.