Soccer Drills for 5 Year Olds

Soccer is a fast-paced sport that requires players to be quick on their feet and think strategically about how they move the ball down the field. These drills are designed to help young players master some of the fundamentals of the game. They’ll hone motor skills, develop spatial awareness around them, and do all of this while having fun! Read on for more details...

Dribbling Drills

Dribbling is one of the most basic soccer skills and is something that every player does multiple times during a game. As a coach, it’s important to make sure that your players master this skill before moving on to more advanced techniques. There are many different types of dribbling drills that you can use with 5 year olds:

1. Around the World - One of the most common dribbling drills is called “Around the World.” Here, the coach will start with the ball and dribble in a small circle. The players will start in the middle of the circle and dribble around the coach. Once they get to the end of the circle, they’ll switch with the coach. This is a good drill to use at the beginning of the season because it gets every player on the team some touches on the ball.
2. Footwork - Footwork drills help children get comfortable with their bodies on the soccer field. One common move is called the “Around the World” where the player will start on one side of the field and dribble around the goal. The player then passes the ball back to a coach on the other side of the field. The player must then dribble back around the goal. This helps players get comfortable with their own footwork and the footwork of their teammates around the goal.
3. 1 v 1 - Another great dribbling drill for 5 year olds is the 1 v 1. This is a great way to help players learn how to dribble with their left and right foot (or vice versa if one foot is stronger than the other). Simply put two players against each other and have them dribble the ball around a cone. This is a good drill for soccer coaches because it will help you see which players might be struggling with footwork.

Passing Drills

Passing is the most important skill on the soccer field. It’s how the ball gets from one player to another. It’s also how a team can score a goal. For 5 year olds, there are a few different ways you can run passing drills. - Wall Passing - Wall passing is a great way to introduce younger players to the fundamentals of passing. All you need is a wall and a ball to get started. Place the ball against the wall and have the first player take a few steps back. They should be far enough away that they can see both the ball and the wall. The player should then pass the ball towards the wall. The next player then steps up and continues the drill. This is a good way to work on accuracy and timing:

1. Retrieval Passing - This is one of the best ways to start working on receiving passes. Set up two cones about 15 yards apart. One player starts with the ball and passes it to the other player. The player who receives the ball then passes it back to the first player. This can be done with multiple players at a time and can be set up in different ways. You can also start with two players passing the ball back and forth along the same line.
2. Crossing the Ball - Crossing the ball is the most common way for a team to score in a game. This is a great drill for young players to start working on this skill. Set up two cones about 18 yards away from each other. One player starts on each cone and passes the ball to a teammate. The other player has their back turned to the other player and they try to cross the ball to their teammate.

Movement Drills

Once players are comfortable with the basics of dribbling and passing, you can start to introduce movement drills. These drills require players to move with the ball and use their teammates to get into scoring positions.

1. 5 v 5 - This is a great game for 5 year olds to start working on how to move as a team. Set up two teams of five players each about 10 yards apart. Give one team a ball and then have them work on passing the ball around the field. The other team should focus on trying to intercept the passes. You can run this game for as long as you want but players should be rotating in and out frequently.
2. 3 v 3 with a Net - Another great game for young players is 3 v 3 with a net. This can also be played with more players and a larger net. Set up cones to mark out a small field. One team will start with the ball and try to get it over the net. The other team tries to intercept the ball and get it past the net. This is a great drill for working on footwork and the timing of passes.

Rotational Movement Drills

These are drills that focus on the rotation of the ball and how it moves from one player to the next.

1. Zig Zag - This is a good movement drill to start with because it doesn’t require as many players. Set up two cones about 12 yards apart. The coach starts with the ball and dribbles towards one cone. Once the coach reaches the cone, they pass the ball to a player between the two cones. The players then switch and keep dribbling towards the second cone. This is a good drill to work on accuracy and keeping possession of the ball.
2. Carousel - This is another good rotational movement drill. Set up a group of four cones in a square shape. The coach starts with the ball and dribbles towards the center cone. The coach passes the ball to a player and then dribbles around a cone outside the square. The player then dribbles the ball back towards the coach. This is a great drill to work on footwork and keeping possession of the ball.

Soccer Games for 5 Year Olds

Some basic soccer games are a great way to end a practice session or even a full-blown practice. These games can help young players learn how to pass the ball and how to move as a team. They’ll also help with conditioning and improve players’ aerobic capacity. Here are a few soccer games that you can use with 5 year olds.

• Balloon Soccer - This is a good game to help players work on accuracy when passing. To set up this game, you’ll need to blow up some balloons. You can either tie the end of the balloon or hold it between two fingers. For 5 year olds, you can use small or medium-sized balloons. Put one balloon between two cones and then have two teams start on opposite sides of the field. The first team to get the ball and get it past the balloon wins.
• Soccer Tennis - This is a great game to work on conditioning. Set up one net and place a cone on each side of the net. One person serves the ball to the other side of the net. The receiving player has to hit the ball back over the net as quickly as possible. The serve can come from anywhere on the field. This is a great game to use at the end of a practice session or when you’re pressed for time.

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10 Tips on How to Teach 5 Years Olds Soccer Drills

Let’s face it, we all have that one friend who knows everything there is to know about soccer. That friend probably even plays in a local adult league, and has a certificate from the UEFA Pro License that they recently acquired by going on a one-month training course at some obscure university in Norway. While you can’t exactly become your friend’s equal overnight, there are some things you can do to help your kid improve their game when they play soccer with their friends. It doesn’t matter how old your kids are when they play soccer – almost every kid loves playing it because it’s fast-paced and involves lots of running around and kicking balls towards the goal. And while most kids have a natural affinity for the game from an early age, nobody is born with the ability to pull off fancy feints or dribbles past opponents like Lionel Messi.

Check Your Kid’s Equipment

This may sound like a weird suggestion, but there are a couple of things you should check. Firstly, make sure your kid’s soccer cleats aren’t too worn out. They need to provide enough grip so that they don’t slip while they run, but they can’t be too worn down or they’ll be dangerous to play in. Make sure that their shin pads are long enough – they should go above the knee. As for their soccer socks, they need to be long enough so that they don’t get caught in their cleats when they run. It’s also a good idea to make sure your kid’s jersey is the right size.

Don’t be Afraid to Tell Your Kids What You Think They Should do

In a game where there are no referees and the rules are almost non-existent, there’s no reason for your kid to not take charge on the pitch. If your kid’s opponents are having a little too much fun kicking the ball away from their goal and towards yours, tell your kid to start directing where the ball should be kicked. If your kid’s teammates are just standing around doing nothing while an opponent is coming towards them with the ball, tell your kid to switch positions with the other player and mark their opponent. In short, make sure your kid is directing the game, instead of just being a passive player who lets things happen to them.

Set up Small goals During Practice

Most kids play with a soccer ball in their backyard, or on a field that’s too large for them to have any real tactical advantage over their opponents. Set up small goals with a smaller-than-regulation size soccer ball and have your kid practice scoring as often as they can. This will help them become better at shooting from all distances, and will help them score from more difficult angles.

Don’t Over-Complicate Things With too Many Rules

There’s a big difference between playing soccer and playing a game of soccer. In competitive matches, even kids at the highest level of the game are bound by rules and limitations that are there to make the game fair. You don’t need to bother with all that in backyard games (or at least, you don’t need to bother with it too often). You can even let the kids decide what rules they’re going to play by ahead of time, so that nobody gets upset when they lose.

Teach the Fundamentals of Dribbling and Passing

Even though most kids start playing soccer when they’re very young, most of them never really learn how to pass and dribble correctly. There are plenty of adult soccer players who can’t pass properly, and plenty more who can’t dribble at all. Passing and dribbling are two of the most important skills in soccer, and the earlier your kid learns how to do them properly the more natural it will feel to them later.

Have Your Kid Practise with Both Feet

Every soccer player should be able to kick the ball with both feet. While some players are naturally stronger with their right foot, or stronger with their left foot, every player should be able to perform both skills. This is especially important for kids, who have plenty of time to grow left until they’re adults. Their bodies will naturally shift their dominant foot to the side that they kick with the most. Make sure that your kid practises kicking with both feet as often as they can, and they should be able to become competent with both legs over time.

Let them Play Without Restrictions for 15 Minutes at the End of Each Session

Some of the best soccer players in the world started out playing the game without any restrictions. They played without referees, without coaching, and without any kind of real tactical strategy. Just let your kid play without you telling them what to do for 15 minutes at the end of each session where you’re coaching them. Let them experiment with different moves and feints, and see what happens.

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Cupello Soccer Drills for 5 Year Old's

1. 1v1 to Goal

Beating opponents in 1v1 situations and mastering ball handling are critical at any stage of development and in any league.

2. 1v1 Breakout

The foundation to work from and connections with teammates that mastering their body and the ball provides is vitally important.

3. Matching Pairs

Young players can develop to their fullest potential by playing this game, which provides a lot of repetition in game-related skills.

4. Tails

It is a enjoyable way to improve players' foundation, movement, and skills.

5. Handball

Players are encouraged to create space and move into it in this fun game.

Final Coaching Tips

Soccer is a great sport to introduce young players to the world of sports. It’s easy to learn, can be played year-round, and is a great way for kids to stay active. These soccer drills for 5 year olds will help improve their skills and build a strong foundation for their sports careers. Keep in mind that these drills are meant for beginner soccer players. If your child is older and more experienced, you can try out more advanced drills.