A child who shows latent skills in football needs grooming earlier to optimize his prowess and experience level as he grows to an adult football star, and not doing so only places him as an average player.

Knowing the right exercise/drills that would improve and enhance this kid’s performance is crucial in seeing that child’s development as an aspiring football star.

This article aims to cover the drills in soccer that are beneficial for a 6-year-old with comprehensive details of how they work.

First, let us see just what exactly a soccer drill is and how it works:

What is a drill, and why is a drill important?

Simply put, drills are practice or warm-ups done in preparation for a competition. Well, is that all to what a drill is, you might wonder? Not really. A drill goes far beyond readiness for a competition for a six-year-old. Having a six-year-old drilled entails a lot, and they include:

Encourage preparedness

A 6-year-old child’s level of concentration and readiness isn’t inbuilt, and distractions abound in this age group. Making them take drills before a soccer match or during training helps them focus their mind and body on the task.

Refine their play

Take it that without a drill, a six years old child is likely to wobble and stagger without coordination when kicking or making an attack for the ball during a training session or a match. Drills provide a cushion to aid their bones in getting warmed up before engaging in any game. These soccer drills help them learn the easy soccer skills.

Helps in identifying players’ fault

To the coach, the essence of a drill before training or a match cannot be overlooked. His scrutiny of how his players work out, especially for a six-year-old, would go a long way in determining the outcome of training or match.

Strengthening coordination

Six-year-olds are likely to be uncoordinated and are expected to undertake training or even a competition. A drill helps a child get in shape and stir the muscles for balance and stability before the player engages in any training or competition.

4 Basic Soccer Drills For or 6-year-olds

Below are soccer drills your 6 years old can find interesting as they progress in their soccer career:

• Coordination drills
• Balance drills
• Running technique
• Passing drills

This drill covers everything that has to do with the physical aspect of a drill and the aspect your six-year-old would need to become better in the field. So let us dive right in:

1. Coordination drill

This drill enhances a 6-year-old player’s skill in analyzing scenarios and making an organized and seamless decision that would yield better results in his play or training. Examples of this drill include:

Walking Backward

Here the player is to start at a point and take swift backward steps as if running while keeping his head in a tilted position to aid his balance. This improves the player’s ability to see teammates from afar and make an appropriate decision in either passing or moving alone with the ball.

Side passes and move

The player is to make a side pass to a teammate who is, say, four to three feet from him/her and take a position in a different angle that would have his teammate return the pass in the new position the former was. This improves players’ control and understanding of the pitch.

One-two passes

Players square up in pairs against three defenders and a goalkeeper. They are expected to make a thorough one-two pass as the defenders approach them without losing possession of the ball while at the same time taking new positions until they can score a goal. This also improves the player’s coordination and stability.

2. Balance Drill

A drill that improves balance augments the coordination by providing stability and a grounded hold of the ball to improve the player’s action on the field. Balance drills could include: 

Stretches

This could take many forms; it could be an arm stretch, leg stretch, waist stretch, or even a whole-body stretch. Whichever form this stretch drill takes, the result is usually to provide stability for the six-year-old soccer player before training or any match begins.

Walking Lunges

A walking lunge drill depicts something like a light jog. Here the players jog around the pitch tossing from side to side and then mimic a light walk, after which the process is repeated. 

Walking front leg raise

Think of this balance drill as a tiptoe. The kids get to hold out their front legs as they attempt to walk on the other. 

3. Running Technique

Most running techniques are for building boosts and attacks for 6 years old during training and competition. These drills include:

Short sprint

Kids carry out this drill by doing a short run from a given point and getting back to the position they started.

This sprint builds the agility and speed of the youngster, which could be an advantage when launching forward towards a goal.

Sprint with the ball on your feet

The drill entails the youngster keeping balance with the ball while at the same time taking the run. The benefit of this drill is noticed when the player attempts to keep possession of the ball while still maneuvering through a defense or towards a goal.

Side running on the cone

Here a cone is placed in a straight line, but a zigzag position and the young players trail around it from side to side. This helps the youngster develop stamina, speed, and astuteness when in the field of play.

4. Passing Drill

The passing drill for a kid is to build their accuracy, control, and mental analyses to score a goal. They include

1 in 1 out

This drill involves four players positioned at four different angles on a pitch and another player who stays in the center. As the middle player passes the ball from the center, the player who receives the ball passes to another player at an angle while he runs toward the center, and the former player in the center takes a new position and the process repeat.

This improves the child’s one-two passes around a goal area and ensures that the right passes are made to secure a goal during a match or training.

4 on 3 attack

This drill is particularly important for six-year-olds as it sharpens their critical thinking and split-second decision while breaking through an opponent’s defense and fostering teamwork.

Three players are placed on one side as attackers, and four as a defense on the other with a goalkeeper in the goal area. This drill aims to have the forwards beat through the defense by making outstanding and accurate passing while aiming to score a goal. 

Grid passing

Cones are placed parallel to one another in a straight line with two players within the space and they both make passes ensuring that the passes made do not have the ball leaving the designated boundary.

This drill aims to maintain a passing formation and, simultaneously, build precision in youngsters’ passes which could be useful in a match or a training session.

How should a six-year-old practice be carried out?

Soccer drills for a six-year-old should be exciting and fun-filled, with breaks in between practice sessions. It should proceed from simple to complex and should not be more than 10-30 minutes to avoid interest fading out. 

Whatever the aim of the drill, making it child’s friendly should be the uttermost priority for a coach.