Parent's Guide to Football Australia MiniRoos Kick-Off Ages 4-11 2026

No experience is needed. Kick-Off is designed for children of all experience levels, including complete beginners, and is a first football experience. Children learn basic football skills, balance, coordination, teamwork and confidence through play.

Coles MiniRoos is mixed gender. Many clubs also run girls-only options through MiniTillies, a Kick-Off initiative that introduces girls to football.

Source: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs

Use the Program Finder at https://www.miniroos.com.au/program-finder to choose your local club or provider, then complete registration online. Kick-Off registrations go through the GameDay platform.

The registration fee has two parts: a $35 Football Australia fee per participant (national program support, participant packs and administration), plus a program fee set by the club to cover local costs such as venue hire and coach payments. The club part varies, so the total differs between programs.

If there is no program in your area, email miniroos@footballaustralia.com.au with your suburb and the MiniRoos team will tell you about upcoming options.

Source: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs

Each child registered in Kick-Off (Mixed or MiniTillies) receives a Coles MiniRoos participant pack once per calendar year, at their first registration. It may contain a Coles MiniRoos shirt, a football, a backpack and other goodies from sponsors Coles and Milo.

• Shirt sizes: XS to XL, fitting children up to 11 years. Colours are green or gold, randomly allocated and cannot be chosen or changed. The size selected at registration is final, except where Australian Consumer Law requires otherwise.
• Delivery: packs ship from Melbourne by Australia Post and usually take 7-14 business days. If yours has not arrived after that, email miniroos@footballaustralia.com.au with your child's registration details.

Source: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs

Programs typically run for 4-12 weeks with one session a week of 30-60 minutes. The Football Australia session guide says shorter sessions suit younger participants. Days and times vary by club or provider, so use the Program Finder at https://www.miniroos.com.au/program-finder to find one that suits your schedule.

Source: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs

Sessions follow a "play, practice, play" model with no teams and no weekly matches:

1. Arrival activity (5-10 minutes): a fun movement game children can join the moment they arrive, such as Red Light, Green Light.
2. Play (10-15 minutes): a small-sided game.
3. Practice (10-20 minutes): short, game-like activities that target one skill, split into micro-games.
4. Play (10-15 minutes): another game so children can try the new skill.

The skills covered across the Football Australia session plans are dribbling, passing, receiving, finishing and 1v1 defending, alongside physical literacy (learning through movement and social activity).

Source: Coles MiniRoos Kick-Off Session Guide, https://www.miniroos.com.au/club-resources

Your child needs:

• Comfortable sports clothing
• Sneakers
• A water bottle
• Their Coles MiniRoos shirt from the participant pack, if it has arrived (they can wear it to every session)

Football Australia also suggests arriving a little early to meet the Program Leaders, and offering plenty of encouragement. Clubs running Kick-Off receive a deliverer kit with goals, footballs, markers and bibs for the sessions.

Source: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs

Yes. A parent or guardian must remain at the venue for the whole session for supervision and safety. Football Australia also notes that children love having someone nearby to share their new skills with. Arriving a little early lets your child meet the Program Leaders who run the session.

Source: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs

Yes. Football Australia states that all providers follow its child safeguarding requirements, and coaches and volunteers must hold valid Working with Children Checks. Activities and games are designed to be age-appropriate and low-contact, delivered in an inclusive way. Sessions also run on a "SO CHANGE IT" checklist whose first item is to check that the area is free from hazards and that the environment is emotionally safe and supportive.

Sources: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs and the Coles MiniRoos Kick-Off Session Guide (https://www.miniroos.com.au/club-resources)

The Kick-Off refund form must be completed within 7 days of registration. The refund of the program fee is decided by the Program Administrator (the club or provider). If the participant pack has already shipped, the refundable amount may be reduced. The refund policy is item 17 of the Coles MiniRoos Participant Terms and Conditions, and the refund form is linked from the MiniRoos FAQs page.

Source: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs

Children can move into Coles MiniRoos Club Football at any time once they are ready to play in a team. Club Football is for children aged 5-11 and has weekly training plus small-sided weekend matches (4v4 for Under 6-7, 7v7 for Under 8-9 and 9v9 for Under 10-11). Club Football registers through the PlayFootball platform, whereas Kick-Off registers through GameDay.

Source: https://www.miniroos.com.au/faqs