The Kindy World Cup kicked off without a hitch in The Lakes this morning as children aged three and four showcased their soccer skills.

Coach Shaun McIlwaine has been running Maccadmey Programmes in kindergartens and pre-schools across Tauranga, Mt Maunganui and Papamoa.

The Ark in Tauranga player Cameron Terry, 4, breaks away from other players in the game this morning. Photos: Tracy Hardy.

He decided to bring all the children together to compete in a world cup event at The Lakes today.

'Each kindy plays each other for seven and a half minutes and so far it has been fantastic if you ask me. We have three and four-year-olds.

'Hopefully this is the first stepping stone to go into soccer.” Shaun is keen for the children to keep playing soccer as they start primary school.

'The children love it. I do 30 minute sessions and I'll keep doing it until they get bored of me.

'There are a lot of children and their parents are down here supporting them. They are quite vocal. Some children pick up the ball and turn around while on the field.”

He says the children are at their very early stage of soccer but he hopes they will get the gist of it when they get older.

'There might be a couple of All Whites here.”