Different game environments

Organisation

• Ask the children to pick their own partner of equal ability, or to challenge themselves  
• Create lines for children to work across and leave space between each pair
• Players score a point each time they touch the cone before their partner
• Ask players to show you different ways to move between the cones

Ways to make the exercise easier

• To begin with, players can pretend they are looking in a mirror and just copy and follow to introduce movements
• Reduce the space between the cones

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Make it a race to touch the cone
• Allow players to dummy and change directions
• Move the cones wider apart

Great questions to ask the children

• How can you accelerate to the cone? Show me
• Can you be tricky and deceive your partner?

Safety tips

• Players should keep on their own side of the line
• Ensure there is sufficient space between each pair to avoid collisions

Organisation

• Let the children pick their own team‑mates
• Alternatively, pick the teams yourself and try to make them of equal ability
• Try to give each team a nice area to practise in, to encourage movement off the ball in order to receive possession

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Let the children decide how to pass and move between themselves and score a goal with no opposition

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Require a particular number of passes before a goal can be scored
• Introduce opposition

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you show me ways to pass the ball between you?
• Can you make sure the ball does not go off the pitch?
• Can you call for the ball when you want to receive it?

Safety tips

• Create a safe zone between each pitch
• Ensure players have rest between pitch rotations

Organisation

• Let the children pick their own team‑mates
• Ask the children to referee their own match
• Rotate the teams after every couple of minutes

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Children can start by handling the ball
• Give one team extra players

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Limit the number of touches players can have on the ball
• Make a team play with fewer players
• Add the condition that teams have to score in all four goals to score a point

Great questions to ask the children

• How can you find space as a team? Show me
• What should you do when you lose the ball? 
• Which is the best goal to try to score in?

Safety tips

• Create a safe zone between each pitch