HELP! Need soccer drills for 4-5 year olds

[Bad Scooter]

I'm helping with a 4-5 year old soccer team, and our 1st practice is tonight. Our coach is sick, so practice falls on me. I haven't the foggiest idea of what sorts of drills to run with these kids.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[SackedByBrown]

I'm helping with a 4-5 year old soccer team, and our 1st practice is tonight. Our coach is sick, so practice falls on me. I haven't the foggiest idea of what sorts of drills to run with these kids.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Little kids are stupid so:

1. Have them practice kicking the ball in the goal
2. Make them run 50 laps around the field until they're tired
3. Have them practice a scrimmage against each other

[Yellowknifer]

Pretty easy with 4-5 year olds. Have them run around the field once or twice to warm up. Have them do some passing drills (simple passing it back and forth) maybe a few kicking drills (kick the ball as far as you can, kick the ball with the inside of your foot, have them change the direction - easy stuff) and then have a pseudo game where you pick the teams based on how they perform in the drills - something like that. Perhaps you can make a little mini game out of the drills.

Something along those lines will probably serve you ok. THey're young and full of energy so you need to keep them active if you want to have some semblance of control.

Kids won't appreciate running 50 laps around a soccer field - I'm guessing it's outdoor soccer and if it is the fields are massive.

[AndromedaPatFan]

What SackedByBrown said, plus:

Simple advancing the ball around some cones or equivalent markers.

For kids that young, what would be appropriate -- 45 degrees to the left, then 90 degrees back to the right, then to a shot on goal?

Something on that level might be a fair challenge.

[eaglesnut]

Have them step on top of the ball. I can't think of the name for it but you just tap the top of the ball with the bottom of your right foot and then with the bottom of your left over and over trying to not move around (although they'll probably be going all over the place). Kids at that age are terrible at it, but it's something they'll be working on for the rest of their "careers." It's good during the warmup phase. It's a great way to develop touch on the ball.

Do not have one big game, maybe for a short period at the end. You want to have them playing small sided games and being involved in the action.

They are too young to work on any real passing drills. I'd just have them pass back and forth in twosomes and also working on their trapping(first touch). Change their distances a couple times.

Oh I just thought of a good one. Everybody has a ball inside a square and they try to kick others' balls out and keep their own ball in. You might not have enough balls to actually run that one, but if you do it's a good one. Some of them might even learn shielding on their own.

If you don't have any other ideas and have to kill time they may be able to handle a game of world cup (in 2s). You should be the goalie in that. (How many kids?)

One more "don't." Don't do drills that have them standing in line. Especially if it's your first practice. The more time on the ball the better.

[DonMan]

What SackedByBrown said, plus:

Simple advancing the ball around some cones or equivalent markers.

For kids that young, what would be appropriate -- 45 degrees to the left, then 90 degrees back to the right, then to a shot on goal?

Something on that level might be a fair challenge.

I used to play indoor soccer, but everyone on the team was about 30 years older than the kids we're talking about here. I just finished talking to a friend of mine who was one of the best players on that team. The first thing he suggested was setting up some cones and having the kids dribble the ball, snaking through the cones; basically same thing you're saying.

[Stamos]

Mike Ditka says "Keep passing it to the Italians".

[hop-sing]

Don't forget to stretch.

[Kumquat]

Here is what I understand about 4-5 year olds soccer games.

1. Ball is placed on field.
2. Goalies are put in the net.
3. Goalies stare at butterflies.
4. Ball is kicked off and then both teams form into two massive herds chasing it.
5. Coach gets assaulted by parent because Junior should have been a starter.

[Qdog]

http://www.soccerhelp.com/U-4_Coachi..._2_3_4_5.shtml

Good site

"I watch for any signs of kids getting tired of a certain activity, and then I switch activities, or I announce a water break. My games take less than 30 seconds to set up and explain, if a game is too complex, I don’t do it, they lose interest. Most importantly, every player has a ball on his/her feet ALL the time. No one ever waits in line or watches from the sideline. "

Most important.. Think up games and do about 10 of them per the practice.

[Hyped]

1.) "Dribble" the ball through 4-5 cones.

2.) Do a "weave" where two kids run down half/third of the field passing to each other then one kicks a goal.

3.) Practice stopping the ball by stepping on it.

4.) Do some head bounces...have the kids line up...toss the ball gently at their heads and let them head the ball.

5.) Same as above, but with the chest...and then the knees...

[Kumquat]

And the groin. Don't forget to teach them the ball tap

[DonMan]

Bad Scooter, noticed that you're from Dayton.

I played youth sports when I was growing up in Dayton. (more accurately Kettering) Looking at the map, I played baseball at what is now called Ireland Park, on the corner of David and Marshall.

[Stamos]

Nobody saw Kicking and Screaming, with Will Ferrell?

[Raid]

Have them kick the craap out of a bicycle.

Then show them how to properly execute the bicycle kick.

Ok, seriously...... put them all in a room and have them watch 12 straight hours of soccer. Then ask who still wants to play. Take those 2 that stayed and ask who's mother will be bringing the 'halftime oranges' on week one.
Then take the 2 kids out for pizza and wait for opening day.