Fun Soccer Games - 5 to 8 Year Olds

Get this book free with a Premium subscription.

 

If you are coaching - or about to start coaching - players in the 5 to 8 year old age range, pay attention.

 

I'd like to show you how you can engage your players, introduce essential soccer skills and - most importantly - create a safe and friendly place for young children to learn and have fun.

 

You can get all this from my new coaching book Fun Soccer Games for 5 to 8 Year Olds.

 

I'm Keith Boanas, an English Football Association Coach Educator and Head Coach for Surrey County Football Association. After 29 years coaching kids I've brought together some of my favourite games with new themes that I'm sure will energise your coaching sessions.

 

Have you ever tried to run a drill for a group of 5 year old children? Did it go well?

 

I doubt it.

 

You see, they're called drills for a reason. What young player would want to spend their time passing a ball back and forth in a straight line?

 

You will be lucky if you can run a drill for 5 minutes before their interest has disappeared completely.

Start your session by telling your players that you are going to do some technical drills and it will probably go something like this:

 

“We are going to do some passing drills today”

 

A hand shoots up from one of your players.

 

“When are we going to play a game?”

 

“Not yet, we've got to do these drills first”

 

“Aww, coach”

 

If they don't have fun, they won't come back

Children view drills for exactly what they are, boring and monotonous. If you keep running drills not only will you lose your player's interest, ultimately, you will lose your players. No child is going to come to your sessions week after week if they are not having fun.

 

So, how do you overcome this? The answer is simple, play games.

What can Fun Soccer Games for 5 to 8 Year Olds do for your players?

 

Teach basic soccer skills
 

Let them have fun
 

Engage young children
 

Educate
 

Promote teamwork
 

Fire their creativity
 

Keep them coming back

Let's look at each of these:

 

Teach basic soccer skills

Games are the best way to teach a range of basic soccer skills. In Fun Soccer Games for 5 to 8 Year Olds I have covered all of the basic skills such as passing, shooting, dribbling, heading and even goalkeeping.

 

Let them have fun

At this age, above all else, children want to have fun. That's why the soccer authorities in the UK and United States back the idea of fun games.

 

Games are fun which is why we continue to play them well into adulthood. Top soccer matches are still games, they've just developed a more competitive, and commercial, edge.

 

Engage young children

How do you get a child to buy into your games? Make them engaging.

The games in Fun Soccer Games for 5 to 8 Year Olds are based on things that every child can relate to, they use spaceships, pirates, tigers, monkeys, aliens and aeroplanes and a whole host of other ideas as inspiration (see column, right for a list of game names).

 

Educate

Games can educate your players beyond the learning of basic soccer skills. My games are based on simple sets of rules and educate players in simple ideas such as right and wrong. They are introduced in a fun environment and with achievable, desirable objectives.

 

Introduce Teamwork

Young children can be selfish, they're not always keen to share their toys and they strive to achieve objectives independently.

 

Give them a ball and they'll want to keep it.

 

Fun Soccer Games for 5 to 8 Year Olds introduces teamwork in a variety of ways.

 

Working independently.
Working in pairs.
Working as a group.

The majority of games in my book require one ball per player so that everyone can be involved even though the games are all team based.

 

Keep them coming back

If young children play a game and enjoy it you can be sure they'll want to keep on playing – ever played peek-a-boo with a baby? Ever seen a baby get bored of it? Your children are going to latch on to these games and want to play them over and over again.

 

At a very young age you don't need to introduce endless variety. Ask the children what game they want to play and off you go. They'll be back week after week, there's a big difference between consistent fun and monotony.

 

Fire their creativity

I've used these games over and over again and I know that they work. However, I'm never afraid to make changes, to the rules, to the playing area, or even to the premise of the game.

 

If your children would rather be a fighter pilot than a spaceman, go for it. Based around a simple set of rules the children can put whatever spin they like on each game. If they want to be medieval jousters, that's not a problem.

 

You can even let them change the rules. It's a case of how would they like to play the game as much as how should they play the game.
 

 

The Games

Space Wars - shoot down the enemy.

 

Ghost Hunters - dodge the spooks.

 

Aliens - they'll get you, eventually.

 

Pirates of the Caribbean - round up your shipmates.

 

Over The Border - cross the border and try to make a tackle.

 

Space Invaders - dodge the lasers.

 

Tiger Tails - try to steal the other tiger's tails.

 

King of the Ring - who will be the last player standing?

 

Don’t Feed the Monkeys - feed the monkeys and the zookeepers get angry.

 

Airball - don't let the ball touch the ground.

 

Robocop - walk, don't run, and head to score.

 

Zombie Attack - don't get bitten.

 

Under Arrest - escape to get the ball and score.

 

Twins - work together or you'll get nowhere.

 

Chain Gang - stay together to win.

 

Head For Home - fear-free heading.

 

Dive Bombers - stay low to hit the target.

 

Bumper Cars - you'll be safe if you don't get bumped.

 

Tomb Raiders - steal the skull to win the game.

 

Bodyguards - protect your V.I.P.

 

Star Gates - use the gates to travel through space.

 

Funny Turns - display your turn and see who can copy best.

 

Cat and Mouse - steal the cheese.

 

Pool Table - pot as many balls as you can.

 

Behind Enemy Lines - break through the line to deliver the package.
  

 
Age specific coaching

The English Football Association recognised the need to introduce soccer to young children in a way that is fun and specific to their age requirements and introduced new Youth Modules to address this important age of learning – which I highly recommend. This book should be a complement to the first levels.

 

Similarly, in the United States there is the National Youth License which works towards the same goal of age specific coaching.

 

The English Football Association issued technical foundations for coaching soccer in their 2008 document 'Developing World-Class Coaches and Players'. They said:

 

At a young age, players need to be taught how to:

 

Become technically competent with both feet.
Control the ball effectively in a variety of different situations
All players should:

Be comfortable in possession
Understand that incisive forward passing, at the right time, leads to goal scoring opportunities.

U.S. Youth Soccer - the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the game's governing body in the U.S.A. - provide a template on their website to show what a typical training session should look like for young players. Here's what they say...

 

United States Youth Soccer - Example Training Plans

Under 6 Format

 

Duration is 45-60 minutes.
Every child has a ball.
Individual activities.
Warm-up activities include movement education approach...with and without a ball (10 mins).
Fun games and activities with and without a ball (20 mins).
Conclude with 3v3 games to two goals, with no goalkeepers.

Under 8 Format

 

Duration is 60 minutes.
Every child has a ball.
Individual and partner activities.
Warm-up activities with and without a ball - dribbling and passing (15 mins).
Maze games and target games (25 mins).
Conclude with 4v4 games to two goals, with no goalkeepers.

 

Easy to Use - Simple to Understand

Fun Soccer Games for 5 to 8 Year Olds has been designed to be as easy to use and understand as possible. Look for the following:

 

The set up - Showing everything you'll need to run the game, from the suggested number of players, to the size of the area, and the number of balls and cones.

 

Main Objectives – What is the game principally teaching? Passing, dribbling, heading, and so on.

 

The rules – Who goes where, how to score a point, who wins. This section has everything you need to know to keep the game running.

 

What to call out - Never be lost for words with these concise phrases to address the key factors of each game and to boost your player's confidence.

 

Progressions - Ways to adapt and develop the game to suit your players.

 

Coaching hints – That little bit of advice. These hints are not key to the game but they'll make your life a little bit easier.

 

Difficulty - Indicating the relative difficulty of game. Choose from easy, medium and hard. Even new coaches will find them easy to run.

 

Key - Making sure you can differentiate between runs and passes, and pitch markings and try lines in the illustrations.

 

Illustrations - Three pictures clearly show how the game is set up and developed, and roughly how it should unfold as you play it.

 

Captions - Explaining the key points of the game.

 

Special Bonus - My 25 Top Tips Collected in 29 Years of Coaching

Managing a group of young children is a difficult task at the best of times, and particularly hard if you are new to coaching.

 

However, there are small steps you can take that will improve your confidence speaking to children, help you to get and retain their attention, create a safe and fun environment and make sure that the game is enjoyed by all of your players.

 

To accompany each of the 25 games in the book I've written down 25 hints and tips that I've picked up in my 29 years as a coach.

 

These are not essays on mastering the art of coaching, but short, sharp insights that you can easily digest and make an instant difference to how you handle your team.

 

For example:

 

Essential Tips for Coaching Young Children #9

“Use your player's names. If a player has a nickname that is fine, but don't make one up, it could upset them.”
 

These short sharp tips will help you tiptoe through the potential minefield that is youth soccer coaching. In the example above it's far too easy to offend a child or their family by giving them a nickname. They have a perfectly good name already, so why risk causing offence?

 

More About Me. And Why I am Qualified To Give You Advice

I have a wealth of experience in men and women’s and youth soccer and hold an array of coaching qualifications.

 

I am heavily involved in English football as Surrey County Football Association Head Coach, a role in which I am responsible for the education of coaches taking the UEFA B License within the county.

 

I recently moved to Estonia as Technical Director of Women's and Girl's Football and coached the women's national team to victory in the Baltic Cup in April 2009.
 
COACHING TUTOR EXPERIENCE & APPOINTMENTS
 
Technical Director Women’s and Girls’ Football - Estonian Football
2009-date
Assistant Director of Coaching - The David Beckham Academy
2006-2009
Coach Education Co-ordinator - South Bank University
2005-2009
Lead Tutor/Mentor Generic Tutor Training - The F.A
2003-date
Coaching Co-ordinator - London Leisure College
2001-2008
Director U.E.F.A. ‘B’ Level 3 Licence Courses – Surrey F.A.
1999-date
Tutor U.E.F.A. ‘B’ Licence Course – P.F.A
1999-2004
Director Women’s Football Academy South East
1999-2007
Director U.E.F.A ‘B’ Level 2 Cert. Courses - Charlton Ath. CARE Partnership
1999-2007
Coaching Co-ordinator Reg.Co. Shaping Soccer’s Future
1998-2001
F.A. County Coaching Representative – Surrey F.A.
1996-date
Director F.A.Centre of Excellence for Girls – Charlton F.C.
1998-2007
Director F.A. Centre of Excellence for Boys – Margate F.C.
1995-1998
Director U.E.F.A ‘B’ Level 2 Certificate Courses – Surrey F.A.
1997-date
Director Preliminary Courses – Kent F.A.
1994-1995
Director Preliminary Courses – Surrey F.A.
1994-1997
Skills & Awards for MENCAP
1995
Director Leaders and Junior Team Managers Courses - Kent and Surrey F.A.
1994-2000
 
QUALIFICATIONS & PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
 
Member Institute for Learning
2008
SAQ Prelim award certificate
2005
Lead Tutor/Mentor - The F.A.
2003
F.A. Coach Educators Diploma
2002
City & Guilds ITT 7303 Stage1
2002
F.A. / NSPCC Accredited Child Protection Tutor
2001
Surrey F.A. Sports Massage Course
2001
F.A. Basic Treatment & Management of Injury
2001
First Aid at Work Certificate
2007
F.A. Coach Educators Licence
2000
N.C.F. Child Protection Certificate
2007
U.E.F.A. ‘A’ Licence
1997
F.A. Coach Educator Certificate
1995
F.A. Advanced Coaching Licence
1994
F.A. Preliminary Coaching Award
1987
Senior Member - Football Association Coach Association
1997-date
Full Member National Coaching Foundation
1992-2006
Member - Surrey F.A. Coaches Association (Hon Vice President)
1997-date
Member - London F.A. Coaches Association
1990-1997
Member - Kent F.A. Coaches Association
1994-1996
 
TEAM MANAGER AND SENIOR COACH
 
Estonia Women’s National Team
2009-date
English Colleges National Girl’s Representative Side
2008-date
Millwall Lionesses F.C 1st Team
2008-2009
Charlton Athletic Women’s F.C 1st Team
2000-2007

 

Can't I just get these games for free on the internet?

In short, no.

 

The internet is a great tool for coaches but with so few barriers to posting information there's no guarantee of the quality.

 

Often it is impossible to tell who designed the drills and games you see, let alone judge how qualified they are as a coach.

 

The games in Fun Soccer Games for 5 to 8 Year Olds are tried, tested and proven to deliver to the specific needs of this important age group.

 

Information on the internet can be quite dated. Without doing time consuming research you may not be able to tell if the game you are looking at is in line with the latest directions from governing bodies such as the English Football Association and the United States Soccer Federation.