You don’t need a pitch, cones or a big garden to get better at football. A ball, a wall and 15–20 minutes a few times a week are enough to improve first touch, close control and the weaker foot. Here are 12 simple drills for young players aged about 6–12, each with an easy way to make it harder.
Before you start
- Space: a hallway, garage, garden or a quiet wall at the park. Move anything breakable.
- Ball: size 3 for under-8s, size 4 for about 8–12. A softer ball is kinder indoors.
- Time: 15–20 minutes. Short and regular beats long and rare.
- Safety: warm up with a minute of light jogging on the spot, and an adult should keep an eye on younger children.
Ball mastery (no wall needed)
1. Toe taps
With the ball still, tap the top of it with the sole of one foot, then the other, in a quick rhythm. Try: 3 × 30 seconds. Harder: move slowly around the ball while tapping.
2. Sole rolls
Roll the ball across your body with the sole, from one foot to the other. Stay on the balls of your feet. Harder: roll it forwards and back too.
3. Inside–inside touches
Pass the ball between the insides of both feet, small and quick, like a ping-pong rally. Harder: move forwards while doing it.
4. Pull-push (the V move)
Pull the ball back with the sole, then push it forwards at an angle with the inside of the same foot. Swap feet. This is the start of beating a defender.
With a wall
5. Wall passes, both feet
Stand 2–3 metres from the wall. Pass with the inside of the foot, control, pass again. Count passes with your right foot, then with your left. Harder: step back a metre.
6. One-touch passes
Same as above, but pass straight back without controlling the ball. It trains quick feet and a soft, accurate pass.
7. Control and turn
Pass against the wall, take the return with the inside of the foot across your body, turn and dribble away three steps. Then go again to the other side. Before the ball arrives, take a quick look over your shoulder – the habit good players have.
Dribbling and turns
8. Shoe slalom
Line up 5–6 shoes or bottles about one big step apart. Dribble in and out with small touches, using both feet. Harder: use only your weaker foot.
9. Cruyff turn
Fake a pass, then drag the ball behind your standing leg with the inside of the foot and go the other way. Practise slowly first, then at speed.
10. Stop and go
Dribble, stop the ball dead with the sole when a partner or parent says “stop”, then burst away when they say “go”. Great for close control and reactions.
Juggling and shooting
11. The juggling ladder
Drop the ball, kick it up once and catch it. Then two kicks, then three. Climb the ladder and write down your record each week – it is the easiest way to see progress.
12. Target shooting
Put a laundry basket, box or chalk square low against a wall or fence. Shoot from 4–6 metres with the laces, keeping the ball low. Five shots with each foot; count the hits.
A simple week
Pick three or four drills per session and rotate them:
- Session 1: toe taps, sole rolls, wall passes, juggling ladder
- Session 2: inside–inside touches, control and turn, shoe slalom, target shooting
- Session 3: the V move, one-touch passes, Cruyff turn, stop and go
Once a month, hold a mini test day: toe taps in 30 seconds, wall passes in one minute and the juggling record. Children love beating their own numbers.
Want a plan that does this for you?
HomeField Coach builds a 4-week home training plan for one player in minutes. Choose their age, level and what they want to improve, and it picks from 116 drills for ages 5–14, a little harder each week, with test days before week 1 and after week 4. It works on any device, in English and Latvian.