Need a soft ball for indoors?
Four soft balls compared, and why younger children need a slower one.
Compare soft ballsLow Bounce Football for Kids on Hard Surfaces: What to Buy
Kit, Rules & Safety
Keep the ball on the floor. If every touch on the driveway sends the ball bouncing into the road, a low bounce ball is the fix, and here is which one and how to test it.
A low bounce football for kids on hard surfaces is a futsal-style ball, built to rebound much lower than a normal ball. On a driveway, patio or hard indoor floor it stays under your child's feet instead of running off. The official futsal ball bounces 50 to 65 cm when dropped from 2 metres (The FA's futsal law on the ball). A retailer's guide puts a size 3 futsal-style ball at ages 8 to 12 (Net World Sports' futsal size guide), and a two-minute drop test at home will show whether a ball is low enough.
Smaller, lower, built for hard floors
What Is a Futsal Ball for Kids?
A futsal ball is made to rebound low on hard indoor courts and stay under the player's feet (Net World Sports' futsal size guide). That one idea is why it suits a driveway so well.
The official spec comes from Law 2 of the futsal laws: 62 to 64 cm round, 400 to 440 g and a rebound of 50 to 65 cm from a 2 m drop (The FA's futsal law on the ball). A standard football is built for grass and has quite a high bounce, while a full-size futsal ball is roughly 10% smaller than a size 5 with the bounce deliberately reduced (Net World Sports' futsal size guide).
A soft ball is a different thing. Foam and sock balls are slow and safe in a small room, whereas a low bounce ball is a real ball that behaves on hard ground. For the soft option, see four soft balls compared for indoors.
Match the ball to the ground
Football for Driveway and Indoor Floors: Which Ball Where
I spent a whole summer fetching our ball out of the neighbour's hedge before I worked out the ball was the problem, not the child.
| Ground | Best ball | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn | A standard size 3 ball | Grass absorbs the bounce, so a normal ball behaves. For sizes, see what size football for kids. |
| Patio or driveway | A low bounce ball with a tough cover | It stays low on paving. Wear is the next problem, so see puncture-proof footballs for kids. |
| Hard indoor floor with space | A low bounce ball | It stays under the feet. Check the floor and footwear first, using the safest footwear and floor setup. |
| Tiny living room | A soft or foam ball | Safer near windows and furniture, and slow enough to control in a small space. |
This table is my own reading of the options, not a tested ranking. Your floor, your space and your child's age will move the answer.
Size by age, then check the packet
Size 3 Futsal Ball: Which Size for a Child?
Retailer guidance puts a junior futsal size 3 at about 55 to 59 cm round for ages 8 to 12, and size 4 for 13 and over (Net World Sports' futsal size guide). The centimetre figures are conversions from the retailer's inches.
For standard balls, England Football reports size 3 being used across primary school years, up to and including Year 6 (England Football's ball size guidance). So a size 3 futsal-style ball is the nearest match for the older primary years, but sizes differ by maker, so read the packet.
A futsal size 3 is not the same as a size 3 football: it has less bounce and no law sets its size. The figure that futsal balls are about 10% smaller than a size 5 (Net World Sports' futsal size guide) describes the full-size futsal ball, the 62 to 64 cm one in the Law above. The junior size 3 is the smaller 55 to 59 cm ball. For younger children a standard size 3 football is the starting point, and what size football for kids covers it.
Retailer age bands overlap, and this is not a child-by-child answer. A child at the top or bottom of a band may fit either size.
Try it on the floor you play on
A Two-Minute Bounce Test Before You Buy
This is a home test of my own, not an official one. The official futsal rebound is 50 to 65 cm from a 2 m drop (The FA's futsal law on the ball), and the steps below give you a feel for what low looks like.
- 1
Pick your floor. Use the patio, driveway or hall where the ball will live, and start with the ball you already own so you know what too bouncy looks like.
- 2
Drop from shoulder height. Let go and do not throw.
- 3
Watch the rebound. A low bounce ball comes back to roughly knee height, while a standard ball rebounds well above the waist. That is a rule of thumb, not a measured figure.
- 4
Do it three times. Same drop, same spot, then roll it and check it stays under control.
To test a ball you are thinking of buying, ask the shop first and drop it on their floor. At home, check nothing breakable is nearby first.
Honest answer
Is a Low Bounce Ball Worth Buying? What the Sources Say
It is worth it when play is mostly on hard ground and the old ball keeps escaping. For lawn-only play it is not worth the money, because grass already slows a normal ball.
The official futsal law sets the low bounce spec for the competition ball (The FA's futsal law on the ball). Retailer guidance says futsal balls bounce low by design (Net World Sports' futsal size guide). England Football reports size 3 balls across primary years, which is the standard-ball reference for age (England Football's ball size guidance).
No study I could find tests ball bounce and how children play, so this is a buying guide built on the Law, retailer guidance and common sense. The retailer figures are commercial and unchecked against any one product.
Quick answers
Common Questions About Low Bounce Footballs
What is a low bounce football?
A futsal-style ball built to rebound low. The official futsal ball bounces 50 to 65 cm from a 2 m drop (The FA's futsal law on the ball).
Is a futsal ball good for kids on a driveway?
As a football for driveway and indoor floors it stays lower and under control on hard ground (Net World Sports' futsal size guide). A driveway wears any cover, so look for a tough one.
What size futsal ball for a child?
Retailers put a junior size 3 futsal ball at ages 8 to 12 (Net World Sports' futsal size guide). England Football uses a size 3 ball across primary years (England Football's ball size guidance). Sizes vary by maker, so check the packet.
Is a low bounce ball the same as a soft ball?
No. A soft ball is slow and safe indoors, while a low bounce ball is a proper ball that behaves on hard floors.
How can I test a ball's bounce at home?
Drop it from shoulder height on your own floor and watch the rebound. It is a home test of my own, not an official one.
Keep going
Where to Go From Here
Pick the one that matches what the drop test showed. Hard ground tends to mean grazes, so what to do for a grazed knee after football is worth keeping handy.
Ball keeps going flat?
What lasts on tarmac, concrete and hedges, ground by ground.
Read about tough ballsWhich standard size?
Size 3 or 4 by age and when to move up.
Read about ball sizesTonight's five minutes
Drop the ball on your own floor first.
Two minutes with the ball you have tells you what low should look like. Then you will know it in a shop.