The most important thing is that the children should be having fun with the ball. At this age children love to play and use their imaginations, so activities should allow children to use a soccer ball for play. For example, using the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, players are asked to dribble their soccer balls up through the sky and retrieve “beanstalks” (cones) so the giants cannot come down and eat the town’s food. Adults/parents help as “giants” (taggers) and the “town mayor” where players take their balls. This fun game allows young children to use their imagination while dribbling a soccer ball.

 

At these young ages, children work hard and tire quickly. Coaches should have segments of the practice that are “active rests,” where they are not running but are trying to do something specific with the ball. A great example would be playing Simon Says with the soccer ball. This allows the player to use the soccer ball, but still have some time to reenergize.

 

Many parents want to see their child play in a “game” at this age. However, most young children just want to kick the ball, so a game with positions and responsibilities is neither fun nor realistic for a 4-6 year old. Instead all practices should end with some small sided games. The number of players on the field should range from 1v1 to 3v3, with constant movement on the field. Players should go to small goals with no goalkeepers. When possible, a size 3 soccer ball should be used. Boundaries should be acknowledged but not worried about too much as the children are not developmentally able to understand cones and lines as a boundary. If the balls goes out of bounds have them try to bring it back and if it goes too far, have them bring the ball back and the next group gets a turn.

 

The most important thing for 4-6 year olds is that the child’s experience with soccer is so enjoyable that when he or she has a choice of activities, he or she choose to play soccer on his or her own.