Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): U5 activities

Palm trees and coconuts

Set up:

1.Make a 15x15yd square grid with orange pylons or disc cones.

2.Place several disc cones scattered on the inside of the 15x15yd square grid. This square grid represents the "island" and the disc cones are "palm trees".

3. Place a ball on top of all the disc cones. The balls are "coconuts".

Instructions:

1. Have all players start inside the grid ("island") without a soccer ball.

2. On the coaches "Go" the players try to kick the coconuts off the palm trees. Reset the coconuts and repeat.

3. Next have the players start on the "island" with a soccer ball at their feet. 

4. Ask the players to try to knock the coconuts off the palm tree by kicking their ball at the coconuts to knock them off.

5. Instruct the kids to keep their ball on the "island" without letting their ball fall into the "water" (outside the grid). Reset the coconuts and repeat.

Receive and shoot

Set up:

1. 2 pug nets and plenty of soccer balls.

2. Have one line 5yds away from the net. Depending on number of players another pug net can be set up with another line of players.

Instructions:

1. Have the player and parent line up together 4 feet apart and 5 feet from the net.

2. The parent starts with a ball.

3. The parent passes to the player and the player attempts to stop the ball and kick(shoot) the ball in the net. Repeat 3-4 times.

4. Next have the parent pass the ball to the player but this time ask the player to try to kick(shoot) the ball in the net without stopping the ball. Repeat 3-4 times.

Fox and the rabbit

Set up:

1. Create a grid 15x15yrds with orange pylons or disc cones.

Instructions:

1. Have the players ("rabbits") start with a ball each.

2. The parent is the "fox".

3. Parents are to chase the rabbits (but not try to steal the ball).

4. The rabbits are to keep the ball away from the fox.

5. After 1-2 minutes switch it so that the players are now the "foxes" and chase their parent who now are the "rabbits".