Dribbling to Passing to Shooting: Soccer Drills to Develop Your 6 Year Old's Skills

Published: 2023-05-21

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Soccer is a great sport that can teach kids valuable lessons about teamwork, communication, discipline, consistency, improvement, and fun. If your 6-year-old is showing an interest in the game, it's never too early to start getting them involved in the game. However, it's important to remember that young children have short attention spans and respond best to light-hearted and fun activities that align with their creative minds, so it's crucial to keep their training enjoyable and engaging. In this article, we'll explore a range of soccer drills that are designed to help 6-year-olds improve their dribbling, shooting, and passing skills. From simple games that focus on ball control to drills that encourage accuracy and technique, these soccer drills for 6-year-olds will help your child build a solid foundation for their soccer journey.

The Importance of Soccer Drills for 6-Year-Olds

Before we dive into specific soccer drills, let's discuss why practicing drills can be useful and what to keep in mind about them. Soccer drills help children develop their skills, improve their coordination, and build their confidence. Additionally, soccer drills can be a lot of fun for children. They get to run around, kick the ball, and play games with their friends. By making soccer drills fun, you can help your child develop a love for the sport that will stay with them for years to come. It’s important not to over-drill children. The more game-like drills are, the better, so make sure to involve kids in a mix of activities that are primarily focused on engaging activity and playing the game rather than waiting in lines or being too restricted by rules.

Dribbling Drills for 6-Year-Olds

Dribbling is an essential skill in soccer. Try out these drills to help your child work on their dribbling skills and learn how to keep the ball under control while moving around with it.

Inside-Outside 1

For part 2 of this drill, click here

Dribbling In Space

Tight Corner Dribbling

Shooting Drills for 6-Year-Olds

Shooting is another essential skill in soccer. These three drills will help your child improve their shooting skills and get them more comfortable with kicking the ball in different ways.

Instep &; Power Shooting

Learn To Shoot

Crossing &; Finishing

Finally, a small-sided scrimmage drill is an excellent way for children to practice their shooting skills in a game-like setting. For example, with two teams of children playing against each other, the goal is to score as many goals as possible.

Passing Drills for 6-Year-Olds

Passing is another fundamental skill of soccer. These drills will help your child improve their passing technique in different scenarios and start to instill the habits of passing and moving that are critical to playing soccer.

Back Foot Receiving

Passing Fundamentals 1

Passing Fundamentals 2

Agility and Footwork Drills for 6-Year-Olds

Ladder drills can be helpful for your child to build coordination and balance while in motion. Don’t spend too long on them as players will likely enjoy the activities with a ball more, but these can be a great warmup that builds important physical skills.

Ladder Drill 1

Ladder Drill 2

Ladder Drill 3

Games to Encourage Soccer Skills for 6-Year-Olds

In addition to these drills, games are an excellent way for children to develop their soccer skills and should account for the majority of their time spent on the field - especially at the younger age groups. Here are some fun games that will help your child build their soccer skills:

Red Light, Green Light: In this game, one player is the traffic light, and the other players are the cars. When the traffic light says "green light," the cars can move forward, and when the traffic light says "red light," the cars must stop. This game helps children practice their dribbling and stopping skills.
Sharks and Minnows: In this game, one player is the shark, and the other players are the minnows. There are various “safe zones” around the field you can set up with cones. The shark tries to tag the minnows, and the minnows try to avoid being tagged. This game helps children practice their dribbling and evasion skills.
Soccer Bowling: In this game, children set up a series of cones like bowling pins and then try to knock them down by kicking a ball. This game helps children practice their passing and accuracy skills.
Play! Set up a small field with mini goals and let the kids play. This is one of the most important activities and should be what young players spend the most time doing. Give them positive reinforcement and tips, but avoid criticism or stopping the game too frequently. Let them make mistakes, have fun, run around, and start to apply the skills they are learning. Fun is much more important than technical progress at this age. If children had a safe and enjoyable practice, it was successful.

Safety Tips for Soccer Drills with 6 Year Olds

It's essential to keep safety in mind when practicing soccer drills with 6-year-olds. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

Always make sure your child is wearing proper soccer shoes and shin guards to prevent injury.
Choose a safe and appropriate location to practice soccer drills, such as a park or soccer field.
Make sure your child stays hydrated and takes breaks as needed to prevent overheating.
Teach your child the proper techniques for each drill and skill to prevent injury.

How Often Should You Practice Soccer Drills with Your 6-Year-Old

It's essential to practice soccer drills regularly to help your child develop their skills. However, it's also important not to overdo it. Here are some guidelines for how often you should practice soccer drills with your 6-year-old:

Start with practicing drills once or twice a week and gradually increase the frequency as your child's skills develop.
Practice drills and games for 10-15 minutes at a time to avoid them becoming too repetitive.
Make sure to take breaks and allow your child to rest as needed.
Most importantly, let your child dictate how frequently they want to play or practice, as well as what activities they would like to do. Do not force them to do particular drills if they aren’t enjoying them. It’s important that they approach the game out of their own desire and build a healthy and fun relationship with the sport.

Conclusion

Soccer is a great activity for children to learn valuable life skills such as teamwork, communication, and discipline. By practicing soccer drills regularly, your child can develop their skills, improve their coordination, and build their confidence.

From basic drills that focus on ball control to more advanced drills that encourage accuracy and technique, there are many drills that 6-year-olds can do to improve their skills. By keeping the drills fun and engaging and following safety guidelines, you can help your child develop a love for the sport that will stay with them for years to come.