Sports Psychology for 7-11 Year Olds: Building Confidence, Resilience & Fun

Specialist Sports Psychology Support for Children Aged 7–11

Helping Your Child Develop Confidence, and Resilience, Whilst Having Fun Playing Sport

As a parent, you want your child to:

Enjoy their sport and look forward to practices and games
Stay confident when things don’t go their way
Learn resilience after mistakes or tough matches
Stay engaged without getting frustrated or wanting to give up

But children aged 7–11 often face challenges such as:

Pre-match nerves and anxiety
Worry about “letting the team down”
Struggles to focus and stay motivated
Feeling pressure from coaches, teammates, or parents
Loss of enjoyment when sport feels “too serious”

This is where kids sports psychology can make a big difference.

Online or Face to Face

We offer online sessions across the globe or face to face sessions depending on your location in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Parents are permitted to join sessions if this is your child’s preference and they need your encouragement.

Teamwork

Our role is to work with parents of children providing open feedback and resources to help your child. Always taking into consideration your child’s need for privacy and confidentiality where necessary.

Fun

We aim to make sports psychology fun, practical and engaging. Whether sessions are online or face to face. We bring sessions to life through the use of age appropriate metaphors, stories or characters.

Why Sports Psychology for Children Matters?

The ages between 7–11 are a critical stage of development. Children are:

Building their self-esteem
Learning how to handle both success and disappointment
Developing habits that can last a lifetime

With the right guidance, they can develop:

Confidence to try new skills
Resilience to bounce back from mistakes
Focus to stay engaged in training and competition
Enjoyment that keeps sport fun and exciting

What Our Clients Say

"We can't thank you enough. His progress has continued. He's not been sick before a match nor even talking about it now. He's so excited to play matches now. It's a fantastic sign for the season and onwards."

Audrie Mum of Young Male Footballer

"I wanted to let you know Jake played 3 matches (1 lost, 2 won). He loved it. Your support has helped immensely in getting his nerves under control. First he didn't want to go on the court then he managed to calm himself down. Thank you for getting him here.

Jess Mum of Young Male Tennis Player

Our Approach: Online Sports Psychology for Children

Experience of Supporting Young Children

Our team are extensively trained to work with children and are either qualified as HCPC Registered Practitioners or are on the pathway to do so.

Build Lasting Confidence and Resilience

We seek to empower children through encouragement, growth mindset, gentle challenges and celebrating effort along the way.

Learn Skills That Transfer to School and Everyday Life

Our approach equips children with adaptable skills that transfer into classroom learning and daily tasks, fostering lifelong success.

Frequently Asked Questions For Children 7-11 Years Old

How does a Sports Psychologist for Children Work Online in comparison to Face to Face Support?

Feature	Online Sports Psychology for Children	Face-to-Face Sports Psychology
Convenience	Sessions at home, no travel, easy to fit around school, training, and family schedules.	Requires travel, which can take extra time and planning.
Comfort & Openness	Children often feel more relaxed and open in their own environment.	New environment can sometimes help children separate stresses from support space.
Flexibility	Wider choice of times, easier to stay consistent during busy weeks or events.	Set appointment times, harder to rearrange around sporting commitments.
Access to Specialists	Work with the right psychologist regardless of location.	Limited to local professionals available nearby.
Connection & Rapport	Strong online relationships can be built with video calls and interactive tools.	In-person body language and presence may help some children connect.
Practical Exercises	Creative online activities, tools, and resources are shared digitally.	Hands-on exercises and role play can be easier to deliver face-to-face.

How Can an Online Sports Psychologist Help My 7-Year-Old Child?

A sports psychologist can give your child simple, age-appropriate tools to enjoy their sport more, manage nerves, and build confidence. At this age, it’s less about performance and more about learning how to have fun, stay positive, and bounce back from mistakes. Support also extends to you as a parent, offering guidance on what to say before and after competitive events/matches so your child feels encouraged rather than pressured.

How long are Sports Psychology for Kids sessions?

For this age group (7 – 11 years old) we typically operate with the session length 30-40 minutes long as kids concentration can waiver and the length of time they can focus is short.

Do Kids Sports Psychologists Work Like Therapists?

Not quite. Therapists often focus on past issues and mental health, while Kids Sports Psychologists keep sessions more practical and offer skill-based support to help children thrive in sport and everyday life. If your child is jumping up and down or jogging on the sport in your lounge or catching a ball we’re demonstrating a psychological skill!