Soccer Drills you can practice at home

The Passing Gate Drill

Goal: This drill will help your child improve passing accuracy, timing, and ball control.

How it works: Set up a ‘gate’ anywhere you have a flat, level surface. This gate can be made of anything – cones, sweaters, or chair legs – that is approximately two feet or a meter apart. Ask your child to stand up to 10 yards/nine meters (no more) back from the gate. Remind them to use the inside of their foot and ask them to try and pass the ball through the gate – if they get it through they score a point. If you can set up multiple gates ask them to move around and try different passes and angles. If you cannot, ask them to take a step back every time they get the ball through the gate.

Gamify it: Your child has one minute to pass the ball through the gate as many times as they can. They must retrieve their own ball after each pass.

⚽️ Level 1: See how many they can score from a fixed spot.
⚽️ Level 2: Every time they score, they must take one step backward for the next pass.
⚽️ Level 3 (Two Players): If you are playing with them, stand on the other side of the gate and pass back and forth, trying to build up the longest streak of successful passes through the gate.

The Cone Maze Dribble

Goal: This drill will help to improve ball control, agility, and coordination in tight spaces.

How it works: Place six or more markers (e.g., cones, cups, sweaters) in a zig-zag or random pattern around your garden, front room, or at the park. These objects should be 2-3 feet/1 meter apart. Ask your child to start at the beginning of the ‘maze’, and dribble the ball as fast as they can around the markers without touching them. Remind them to use small touches, and try to use both the inside and the outside of their feet. As they get more confident, encourage them to keep their head up as much as possible.

Gamify it: This is a simple speed challenge. Time them to see how fast they can dribble through the cones.

⚽️ Level 1: Time their run using only their dominant (strong) foot.
⚽️ Level 2: Challenge them to beat their time, but this time they are only allowed to use their non-dominant (weaker) foot. This is hard, but it’s how the great players develop.

Target Shooting Challenge

Goal: This drill will help your child develop their shooting accuracy, coordination, and confidence using fun and easy targets

How it works: Set up a goal – you can either use a proper soccer goal or something like sweaters on the floor. Place two targets inside that goal. For instance, you could put a plastic bottle or a cone in the bottom corner of the goal. From a comfortable distance, ask your child to try and hit the targets. Encourage them to use their laces for power shots and the inside of their foot for accurate, placed shots.

⚽️ If you have a soccer goal in your backyard, there are inexpensive options for purchasing shooting nets that sit across the face of the goal.

Gamify it: See how many they can hit in 60 seconds. If they are hitting them easily, make them shoot from further away, or from different angles.

⚽️ Points Challenge: Assign points to different targets. For example, 5 points for hitting a bottle, 10 points for hitting a t-shirt hanging from the crossbar. See how many points they can score in 10 shots.
⚽️ Beat the Goalie: If you’re playing with them, act as the goalkeeper. Can they score past you? This adds a fun, competitive element.

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