Find the gap

Organisation

• Organise your group into four teams and give each player in the team a number
• The coach calls random numbers and the relevant players have to perform specific movements around their own team
• The first player back to the starting position wins a point for his or her team
• Add a ball, so they can also score goals
• Be creative with types of physical movements and to encourage team spirit
• Watch carefully to see if players try to cut corners or 'cheat' in any way for their team to gain an advantage. If this happens stop and facilitate a discussion on why we must obey rules and control our impulses

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Players can take turns in numerical order or line order

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Space out the lines to increase the distance

Great questions to ask the children

• Are you listening carefully for your number?
• Can you encourage your team-mates?
• Did you think about cutting corners or doing something that was not fair to win the game?
• How can it disadvantage your team if you do not follow the rules? What can happen?

Safety tips

• Create a safe zone between each team to avoid any collisions

Organisation

• Organise groups of four into squares and make triangular goals
• Groups play 3v1 around the triangle and players can score through any side of the triangle
• The goalkeeper has to follow the ball and try to protect the nearest goal line
• Rotate the goalkeeper every minute
• Watch carefully to see if players try to cut corners or 'cheat' in any way for their team to gain an advantage. If this happens stop and facilitate a discussion on why we must obey rules and control our impulses

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Make the area bigger and the triangle bigger
• Start with players throwing and rolling the ball through the goal

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Players can only use their feet
• Limit the number of touches per player

Great questions to ask the children

• What did you do to keep the ball moving within your square?
• How can you stay in control during the game?
• Why is it important to 'keep your cool'?

Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area

Organisation 

• Organise two 6v6 teams on a pitch and use four goals in the middle, placed back‑to‑back
• To begin with, teams can score in any goal
• Encourage children to play in both halves of the pitch
• Then ask teams to only score in two goals that are side by side, to encourage the transfer of play from one side to the other
• Finally, ask teams to score in diagonal goals back‑to‑back, to see if they can appreciate where there is space to play and score
• Watch carefully to see if players try to cut corners or 'cheat' in any way for their team to gain an advantage. If this happens stop and facilitate a discussion on why we must obey rules and control our impulses

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Begin by dividing the pitch in two and playing 3v3 in each half, initially with two balls and then one, to encourage players to use the whole pitch

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Each team can nominate a goalkeeper in each half, or the nearest player to goal can use his or her hands

Great questions to ask the children

• How did you find space on the pitch to receive the ball?
• Where can you pass the ball to find your teammates in open space?
• When your team doesn’t have the ball, which areas do you need to defend?

Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area