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Five garden games to build kicking confidence

Kick Cymru coaching team ·

Young children learn football best when it feels like play. These five games need a ball, a bit of space and about ten minutes.

1. Dragon stomp

Stamp your feet like a dragon, then freeze when you shout “fire!”. It builds balance and listening.

2. Knock the cone

Set a cone or a plastic cup a few steps away. Roll or kick the ball to knock it over. Cheer every attempt, not only the hits.

3. Stop it with your sole

Roll a ball slowly towards your child and ask them to stop it with the bottom of one foot. Praise the try.

4. Red light, green light

Dribble on green, stop on red. Swap roles so your child gets to be the traffic light.

5. Pass to a teddy

Pass to a teddy, then to you. Passing to someone else is the first step towards playing in a team.

One tip for every game

Praise effort out loud. “You kept trying!” builds more confidence than “great shot”.

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