10 Most Effective Football Drills for Kids to Practice During the Coronavirus Lockdown

It might not seem to be the most appropriate time for children’s football training. But just because kids are stuck at home because of the Coronavirus Lockdown, there are still lots of ways for them to practice their football skills and techniques. In fact, it’s probably a great time to brush up on those ball mastery skills and sharpen those core 1v1 moves. 

In this blog, we outline the top 10 effective drills for players to practice during the Coronavirus Lockdown. Some fall into the category of general fitness exercises for those who are restricted to a flat or apartment. However, for those lucky to have access to a garden, then the possibilities are much greater.

General Fitness Drills

1.     Air Squats (Ages 7 upward)

This is just like riding a horse whilst standing still. Air Squats help build body strength, as well as helps balance in the legs and lower body.  It’s simple to perform once you’ve nailed the technique. Your feet should be kept level with the shoulders and pointed straight ahead. Without dropping the shoulders, all the movement should come from the lower torso.

2. 2.     Press-Ups (age 8 upward)

Press-ups are another exercise for building upper body strength which requires little space to perform.

Begin by kneeling on the floor with your knees together, and then bring the palms of your hand together at the width of your shoulders with the fingers pointed forward. Keep your feet together and your back straight, and slowly lower yourself to the ground, until the chest touches the floor. Push back up with the arms until they are fully extended, and then repeat.

Young children should do no more than five press-ups at a time, whilst older kids should try and do ten or more in a single session.

3.     Lunges

Lunges can help young footballers build their strength, as well as improve their posture, and flexibility.

In the starting position, the upper boy should be kept straight, with the shoulders back and relaxed, and the chin up, looking forward.

Step forward with one leg, lowering the hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. The front knee should be directly above the ankle, whilst the other knee should be kept above the ground, as the child pushes back to the starting position.  Repeat with the other leg leading this time.

Exercises with a ball

4.     Practice dribbling with a smaller ball

Playing with a smaller ball weighted football is a great way of improving your ball control. You can use a size 2 or 3 football or if you have access, a futsal ball. These footballs have a 10% rebound so it doesn’t bounce as much. The ball will be kept on the ground which means there will be more time with your feet at the ball perfecting skills and ball control.

5.     Dribbling through cones or other obstacles

Plastic cones can be either bought online or if they cannot be obtained, obstacles placed at regular intervals will suffice instead. This is a great football drill for children aged 4-11 to develop their ball close control balance, touch, and the ability to use both feet. You can always change the layout of the cones so the movement is always unpredictable.

6.     Juggling

Once they have developed some confidence in their basic ability, children can start to learn more advanced techniques.  One of the best soccer drills for 7 – 8 year olds is to learn how to juggle the ball, seeing how many touches they can take before it hits the ground, They can start with one foot, but should be encouraged to use the other, and different parts of their body – for example, thighs, chest and head.

The best thing about juggling is that a child can compete against themselves, trying to beat their best score each time.

7.     Ball Control / Cushioning 

The ability to control a ball is essential for anybody who wants to play football to a decent level. One of the most important football drills for 8-9 year olds to practice, it does require sufficient space in a garden or backyard, otherwise there is a risk that the ball could be lost.

Kick the ball as high in the air as you can above the head, and wait for it to come down, watching it at all times. As it descends, use the laces on top of the ball to cushion the ball, taking the pace off it, and bringing it down to the ground. Always practice with both feet, and keep going until you can control the ball without it bouncing away.

8.     Use a football rebounder

A football rebounder is a piece of equipment that can be set up in a garden or backyard at home, and which, as the name suggests, rebounds the ball to a player, often at different angles and varying speeds.  More suited to older children, they fall into the category of top soccer drills for 12 year olds and older.

9.     Kick a ball against a wall

This is an exercise that can be used by any child of any age, especially if they have no brothers or sisters with whom they can practice.  Using a wall to practice against teaches all sorts of skills – passing, shooting, close control and saves if you are a goalkeeper.

10. Use an Agility ladder

Another inexpensive piece of equipment which can be bought online, an agility ladder is laid out and pegged into the ground and can be used as a way of not only warming-up but also to improve general football and the ability to change direction suddenly.

Kids Football Drills FAQs

What are some easy at-home soccer drills for u10s?

If your child has access to a garden then dribbling around cones or other obstacles teaches dribbling skills, close control and balance, especially if both feet are used. If they have a wall they can practice against, then they can practice a whole range of skills – passing, shooting, or even saves if they are a goalkeeper.

If they have neither then there are a range of indoor exercises they can practice like squats, press-ups and lunges that do not require a lot of space.

Where can I get my kid professional football training?

Whilst there are a number of soccer schools in the London area, you need to look out for the ones who invest a considerable amount of time in recruiting good coaches and then training them so they can teach your child the skills they can sharpen skills and get confident in the right way.

We at Samba Soccer Schools employ fully trained and qualified coaches who go through vigorous training and assessments before we put them in front of your child. Our can teach your child how to perform a range of stunning tricks and skills, whilst ensuring they have fun at the same time.

We all can’t wait until lockdown ends so children can enjoy their football classes again. But why wait? Get in touch with us today and we’ll start planning for your child’s free trial lesson. Call 020 7205 2723!