The questions parents ask most

Size 3 for U6 through U8, size 4 for U9 through U12, and size 5 from U13 onward. AYSO lists the size 4 at 25.0–26.5 inches circumference and 12–14 ounces, and the size 5 at 26.5–28.0 inches and 14–16 ounces. A few leagues shift the boundaries by a year, so check your club. Full chart on ball size by age.

Size 4 — U12 is still size 4, with size 5 starting at U13 or 14U. This is the most commonly mis-bought ball size, because parents reasonably assume a twelve-year-old has moved up. See size 4 vs size 5.

About a thumb's width — roughly a centimeter — between the longest toe and the end of the cleat, measured standing, in a soccer sock, late in the day. Not two centimeters, and not a full size. See how cleats should fit.

No, and this is the most expensive mistake in youth soccer gear. A cleat's stud plate has to sit under the right part of the foot; in an oversized cleat the foot slides forward, the heel lifts and you get blisters, lost first touches and occasionally a rolled ankle. Buy to fit now and plan on replacing every six to nine months. See when to replace cleats.

By the player's height, never their age or shoe size — what you are fitting is the length of the shin bone. The guard should run from just below the knee to just above the ankle bone. Confirm with the crouch test: if the top digs into the kneecap when they crouch, it is too long. See the shin guard size chart.

Measure across the palm at its widest point in inches and add about one — that number is the glove size. There should be roughly a fingertip's gap beyond the longest finger, and they must be able to make a fist. See the glove size chart.

Small. They are cut athletically — slim and short — so a kid who wears a medium in everyday clothes is frequently a large in a jersey. If they are between sizes or growing fast, size up. See jersey sizing.

Usually not. U6 programs play 4v4 on short grass with very little sustained running, and many leagues do not require cleats at all — turf shoes or sneakers grip fine and can be worn to school. Check your league's rules, then spend the money on a size 3 ball instead. See U6 first kicks.

Usually around U7 or U8, when kids start running continuously on longer grass — which is what studs are for. Before that the problem cleats solve is barely present. See best cleats for 6 year olds.

Usually yes — most indoor and futsal leagues require them, and the smaller pitch is an argument for wearing them rather than against: more tackles per minute and less space to avoid one. A few purely recreational programs do not require them, so check the facility. See shin guards for indoor soccer.

From about U12 at three or more sessions a week, yes — they reduce how much the foot slides inside the cleat, which is a real cause of blisters and mis-hit touches. Below that volume, a well-fitting ordinary sock in a well-fitting cleat does nearly as much for a fraction of the cost. See are grip socks worth it.

Very few come in a formal wide fitting. Instead, some lines are built on a wider last — the adidas Copa Pure and Goletto, and Nike's Legend and Phantom, all run wider than the Nike Mercurial or adidas F50. Pick a wide-running line rather than hunting for a 'wide' label, and never fix a width problem by going up a size. See cleats for wide feet.

Almost always the sock. With slip-in guards the sock's compression is the only thing holding the guard in place, and a cuff that has lost its elasticity after a season of washing will let it migrate even though the sock looks fine. Replace the socks first, then check the size, then the style. See how to stop shin guards slipping.

See a doctor — heel pain in an eight-to-fourteen-year-old soccer player is often Sever's disease, an inflammation of the heel growth plate, and it needs a clinician rather than a shopping decision. Footwear can reduce the load on it: a turf outsole spreads pressure across the whole foot where firm-ground studs concentrate it. Nothing about a cleat treats the condition. See cleats for Sever's disease and heel pain.

You can, and it is the wrong tool. Firm-ground studs are made to sink into soft grass; on hard artificial turf they sit on the surface and concentrate the child's weight on a few points, which is uncomfortable, wears the studs quickly and makes grip unpredictable. Fine occasionally, wrong for a whole season. See firm ground vs turf.

Multi-ground (MG) or firm-ground/artificial-ground (FG/AG). It is adequate on both natural grass and artificial grass, which for one pair is the right trade. Then ask the coach what midweek training is actually on — that question decides whether a second surface-specific pair is worth buying.

No. Football cleats have a stud at the toe for pushing off; soccer cleats do not, because the front of the boot is a striking surface. A soccer cleat is usually accepted in flag football, but a football or baseball cleat is generally not allowed in soccer, because the toe stud is a hazard in a tackle. Metal studs are prohibited in essentially all youth soccer. See soccer vs football vs baseball cleats.

Usually not. Indoor facilities require a flat, non-marking gum sole, and turf nubs both mark a sports floor and give a vague sliding grip on hardwood. That makes indoor shoes a third pair, separate from cleats and turf shoes. See indoor soccer shoes for kids.

Anchor at the rear with the anchors flush to the ground. On grass, use at least two auger-style helical anchors or two to four angled peg or stake anchors; on a hard surface, sandbags or counterweights. When not in use, remove the nets and lock or chain the goal to a fixed structure. This follows US CPSC guidance — the Commission has documented at least 21 deaths between 1979 and 1994 from movable goals tipping onto children. See how to anchor a goal.

Unanchored ones are. The US CPSC has documented at least 21 deaths between 1979 and 1994 and estimated around 120 injuries treated in US emergency rooms each year between 1989 and 1993, nearly all involving children climbing on the net or hanging from the crossbar on a goal that was unanchored or badly anchored. Properly anchored, with a no-hanging-on-the-crossbar rule, a backyard goal is one of the best purchases a soccer family makes.

Enough to reach a major brand's entry tier, and no more unless the volume justifies it. That first step buys a properly rated outsole and consistent sizing, which everybody notices. The step up to a mid tier only pays off at two or three sessions a week, and the top tier almost never pays off for a youth player. See budget cleats.

Between ages 6 and 12, roughly every six to nine months — driven by growth rather than wear. Check the fit every couple of months during the season; if there is not about a centimeter beyond the longest toe, they are finished regardless of condition.

Less than the club shop suggests. Ball size, shin guard requirement and basic kit are set by age group, not by level. What changes is volume — three to five sessions a week instead of one — and volume breaks cheap footwear. Realistically the delta is two mid-tier pairs of footwear, more socks, and a bag with a shoe compartment. See rec vs travel.

A ball in the right size for their age, because ball size is set by age rather than fit — you only need to know roughly how old they are. Avoid cleats, jerseys and goalie gloves unless you know the relevant measurement, since all three are unusable in the wrong size. See gifts for youth soccer players.

No, and we say so on every page. We read manufacturer-published specifications, verify each product is currently sold, and assess how each line's sizing behaves on a growing foot — we have not worn, kicked or measured anything. The full method, including the limits, is on how we pick.

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