Football drills for kids

Six drills for under 9s and under 10s, one for each skill. Pick how many players you have and the pitch redraws so every child is playing. Need one for your own group? Say what to work on and Bibs On sets out a drill for your numbers and your kit.

Make a drill

Three drills a month free with an email address. A drill does not use one of your sessions.

Six drills, one for each skill

U9 · 5v5 · 12 min

Dribbling: keep the ball close and find space

Gate dribble

Players tonight
10

Set up

Every player has a ball, inside the square. These pairs of cones are the gates. Each player dribbles through as many gates as they can, in one minute. One point for each gate.

10 players, 10 balls, 2 adults

Keep the ball close and look up to find a free gate.

Set up

Mark a 20 x 20 m square. Put 6 gates inside it, two cones 1.5 m apart, at least 4 m between gates. Every player has a ball.

Who goes where

  • Players: 10, in the square.

How to play

  1. Players dribble through as many gates as they can in one minute.
  2. They can't use the same gate twice in a row.
  3. One point for each gate.
  4. Try to beat your score next time.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Dribble through as many gates as you can. You can't use the same gate twice in a row. Count your gates.

Say while it runs

  1. Small touches with your laces and the inside.

    Praise it when the ball stays close as they reach a gate

  2. Look up to find a gate nobody is using.

    Praise it when their head comes up between touches

Ask at the drink How did you know which gate was free?

Five minutes in

Too easy

If most players score ten or more, add one defender with no ball who blocks a gate.

Too hard

If the ball runs away from them, make the gates 2 m wide.

More U9 practices

U9 · 5v5 · 12 min

Passing: find a team-mate who is free

Pass through the gates

Players tonight
10

Set up

Players work in pairs, with one ball between them. The cones make gates around the square. Each pair passes through a gate, then moves to a new one.

10 players, 5 balls, 2 adults

Pass through a gate to a team-mate who is ready for it.

Set up

Mark a 20 x 20 m square. Put 7 gates inside it, two cones 1.5 m apart. Players work in twos with one ball between them.

Who goes where

  • Players: 10, in the square.

How to play

  1. Partners pass to each other through a gate, then both find a new gate.
  2. Each time, find a gate you haven't used yet.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Pass to your partner through a gate. Then both of you find a gate you haven't used yet.

Say while it runs

  1. Look at your partner before you pass.

    Praise it when their head comes up before the pass

  2. Stop it with the inside of your foot.

    Praise it when the inside of the foot meets the ball

Ask at the drink When is your partner ready for the pass?

Five minutes in

Too easy

If pairs score easily, make the gates 1 m wide.

Too hard

If passes miss the gates, make them 2.5 m wide.

More U9 practices

U9 · 5v5 · 12 min

1v1s: beat the guard and keep the ball

Gate guards

Players tonight
10

Set up

The Attackers in red each have a ball. The Guards in blue stand one in each gate. The Attackers try to dribble through any gate. Each gate they get through scores a point.

10 players, 5 balls, 2 adults

Beat a defender one against one and keep the ball.

Set up

Mark a 20 x 20 m square with 5 gates inside it, two cones 2 m apart. 5 attackers have a ball each. 5 guards in bibs stand one in each gate.

Who goes where

  • Attackers: 5, in the square.
  • Guards: 5 in blue bibs, in the square.
  • Every two minutes, attackers and guards swap.

How to play

  1. Attackers try to dribble through any gate.
  2. The guard in that gate tries to win the ball.
  3. A guard who wins the ball passes it back to the attacker.
  4. Attackers get a point for each gate they get through.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Attackers, dribble through any gate you can. Guards, stay in your gate and win the ball. We swap every two minutes.

Say while it runs

  1. Run at the guard, then go past.

    Praise it when they change speed as they reach the guard

  2. Guards, stay on your feet.

    Praise it when the guard stays standing and watches the ball

Ask at the drink Which way did you go past the guard, and why?

Five minutes in

Too easy

If attackers get through too easily, make the gates 1.5 m wide.

Too hard

If guards win every ball, make the gates 3 m wide.

More U9 practices

U10 · 7v7 · 12 min

Running with the ball: big touches into space

Run with the ball

Players tonight
10

Set up

Every player has a ball, on the end line nearest us. The cones mark the far line. Each player runs with the ball to the far line, as fast as they can keep it.

10 players, 10 balls, 2 adults

Run with the ball into space using bigger touches.

Set up

Mark a 22 x 25 m area with a line of cones at each end. Every player has a ball and starts on one end line.

Who goes where

  • Players: 10, in the area.

How to play

  1. Players run with the ball to the far line as fast as they can keep it.
  2. They stop it on the line, turn, and run back.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Run with the ball to the far line as fast as you can. Stop it on the line, turn, and come back.

Say while it runs

  1. Push it out in front with your laces.

    Praise it when the laces push the ball two strides ahead

  2. Look up to see the space ahead.

    Praise it when their head comes up after each push

Ask at the drink When can you take a bigger touch?

Five minutes in

Too easy

If they make it easily, add two defenders in the middle who try to win a ball.

Too hard

If the ball runs away from them, make the area 5 m shorter.

More U10 practices

U10 · 7v7 · 12 min

Passing: keep the ball as a team

Keep the ball

Players tonight
10

Set up

The Reds and the Blues each try to keep the ball. The two Yellows are neutrals. They play for whichever team has the ball. The four cones mark the square.

10 players, 1 ball, 2 adults

Pass to a team-mate who is free.

Set up

Mark a 20 x 20 m square. Two teams of 4 in bibs and two neutrals in yellow, who play for whoever has the ball. One ball.

Who goes where

  • Reds: 4 in red bibs, in the square.
  • Blues: 4 in blue bibs, in the square.
  • Neutrals: 2 in yellow bibs, in the square.

How to play

  1. The team with the ball passes it to keep it away from the other team.
  2. When the other team wins it, they keep it.
  3. The neutrals always play for the team with the ball.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Keep the ball for your team. Neutrals, you play for whoever has it. If you lose it, win it back.

Say while it runs

  1. Look before the ball arrives.

    Praise it when their head turns before the pass reaches them

  2. Move into a space after you pass.

    Praise it when they move as soon as the ball leaves

Ask at the drink Where can you stand so a team-mate can pass to you?

Five minutes in

Too easy

If one team keeps it easily, make the square 4 m smaller.

Too hard

If the ball keeps getting lost, make the square 4 m bigger.

More U10 practices

U10 · 7v7 · 12 min

Finishing: shoot when you see the goal

Score in a pop-up goal

Players tonight
10

Set up

Reds play Blues, four against four. The Reds attack the far pop-up goal. The Blues attack the goal nearest us. The two neutrals in yellow play for whoever has the ball. A goal scores a point.

10 players, 1 ball, 2 adults

Shoot early when you see the goal.

Set up

Mark a 20 x 26 m pitch with a pop-up goal in the middle of each end line. Two teams of 4 and two neutrals in yellow, who play for whoever has the ball.

Who goes where

  • Reds: 4 in red bibs, in the pitch.
  • Blues: 4 in blue bibs, in the pitch.
  • Neutrals: 2 in yellow bibs, in the pitch.

How to play

  1. Reds attack one pop-up goal and Blues attack the other.
  2. The neutrals play for whoever has the ball.
  3. After a goal, restart with a dribble-in from your end line.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, you score in that goal. Blues, you score in this one. Neutrals, play for whoever has the ball.

Say while it runs

  1. Look at the goal before you shoot.

    Praise it when their head comes up to find the goal first

  2. Strike it with your laces.

    Praise it when the laces hit the middle of the ball

Ask at the drink When is the best moment to shoot?

Five minutes in

Too easy

If goals come too easily, make the pitch 5 m longer.

Too hard

If nobody scores, make the pitch 5 m shorter.

More U10 practices

Make a drill for your own group

Say what they need to work on, the age group, how many are coming and what kit you have. You get one drill set out for exactly that.

Make a drill

Football drill questions

Are these football drills free?

Yes. The six drills on this page are free to use and print. To make a drill for your own group, three a month are free with an email address, and a drill does not use one of your sessions.

How do I make a drill for my own group?

Tap Make a drill. Say what to work on, the age group, how many players and what kit you have. Bibs On sets out one drill for that group, with the pitch drawn to match.

Which ages are these drills for?

The six here are for under 9s and under 10s, set up for the 2026/27 formats. You can make a drill for any age from U5 to U18 or adults, and Bibs On checks it against FA guidance for that age.

Football session plans by age

Can a parent use these at home?

Yes. With one to three children, plan a 1-to-1 instead. It puts you in the drill, so nobody waits and you can keep it going in a garden.

How to plan a 1-to-1 football session

Should I use a drill or a whole session?

A drill is one practice on one thing. A session is the whole hour on one theme, from the arrival game to the match at the end. Bibs On plans both.