Arrival game · 0 to 15 min
Traffic Lights
Tons of touches. Keep the ball close so you can stop it.
Kids know this one. They played this last practice. Ask one of them to be the traffic light!
Set up
- Cone a square, 20 x 20 big steps.
- Kids grab a ball and join in the second they arrive.
Play
- GREEN: dribble anywhere. YELLOW: tiny slow touches.
- RED: freeze with your foot on top of the ball.
- Silly calls: PURPLE = sit on your ball. RAINBOW = run around it.
Say this
“Can you keep it so close it's stuck to your shoe?”
“Who can stop it the fastest on RED?”
“Show me your quietest touches.”
Watch for
- Little touches, ball near the feet
- Heads up so nobody crashes
- Praise it: "I love how close you kept it!"
Make it easierCall RED less often. Stop it with any part of the foot.
Make it harderWeak foot only. Add more silly calls.
Main game · 15 to 35 min
Gate Race
Close control, plus looking up to find the next open gate.
Set up
- Big square with 8 to 10 gates spread out.
- Gate = 2 cones, 2 big steps apart. Everyone has a ball.
Play
- Dribble through as many gates as you can in 1 minute.
- Count out loud, then try to beat your OWN score.
- No using the same gate twice in a row.
Say this
“How many can you get? Ready... GO!”
“What helped you get more that time?”
“Can you find a gate nobody is using?”
Watch for
- Heads up, looking for open gates
- Small touches through the gate
- Praise beating their own score
Make it easierWider gates. 2 minutes instead of 1.
Make it harderWeak foot only. Stop the ball in each gate.
Big game + huddle · 35 to 60 min
Big Game
Real soccer. Everyone plays. Nobody sits.
Set up
- 7 or 8 kids: one field, 4v4. 9 to 12 kids: two fields, 3v3.
- Field = 25 x 15 big steps. pop-up goal each end. No goalies.
Play
- Ball goes out? Roll a new one in fast. No kick-ins, dribble it in.
- Bonus: dribble past someone, then score = 2 goals.
- Water break first. Swap teams halfway.
Say this
“Who can keep the ball close like in Gate Race?”
“Where's the space?”
“Great try! What else could you do?”
Watch for
- A beehive around the ball is normal at this age
- Kids trying moves, not just booting it
- Praise effort and bravery, loudly
Last 5 minutes: huddleHow many gates did you get? Did you beat your score? Then high fives and a team cheer.