Project 2030 / Grassroots
A season of little games for four- to six-year-olds: ten playful practices, every setup in one place, and the things that make the first season easier.
U6 game library
All 10 of them, written for Ages 4-6 and drawn out where a setup picture helps. Use one as planned or use the search when you need a quick replacement.
What the pictures mean
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Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Which way are you going?
Can you take your ball with you?
Scatter cone gates around a small space. Every child has a ball and goes through any open gate.
Shout Little touches, turn away
Can you find a new gate?
Can you turn before you bump anybody?
Everyone dribbles in a square. One friendly freeze monster tries to tag them; a tagged child stands still with their ball above their head until a teammate high-fives them.
Shout Keep it close, look up
Where is the monster?
Can you turn into empty space?
Make a rectangle. The minnows dribble from one safe shore to the other while one or two sharks try to touch their ball.
Shout Head up, find a gap
Tip Nobody sits out. A child who loses a ball can be a shark for the next round, then comes straight back.
Mark a middle band as the bulldog pound. Players with balls begin at either end and try to dribble through to the far side.
Shout Go, turn, go again
Where is a safe way through?
What can you do if a bulldog is in front?
Give each team an end zone. Score by dribbling under control into the far zone. Start 1v1, then add a teammate if it stays lively.
Shout Go forward, under control
Which way is your zone?
Can you get there with your ball?
Set two cone goals at one end of a small field. The player with the ball can score in either; swap jobs after a goal or a minute.
Shout Which goal is open?
Can you trick them?
Can you turn to the other goal?
Give each team two cone goals to attack. Keep teams small and swap quickly.
Shout Can you find the other goal?
Which goal has space?
Can you turn and go there?
Make two teams beside a tiny field. Call one, two or three and that many from each side run in when you serve a ball.
Shout Ready, go!
Set up two tiny fields, make quick teams and play short games. Swap opponents after each round.
Shout Play, help, have fun
The short version
If they are, you're on the right track. These are the few things that help most before your first U6 practice.
Where this came from
The weekly plans are adapted from the Massachusetts Youth Soccer U6 session-plan library and beginner volunteer guide, both recommended by U.S. Soccer. The diagrams here are our own simplified coaching visuals. Match-day rules are league-specific, so check yours.
The season
Play, teach one thing, play again. Open a week to see the purpose, the games and the questions that make it easy to coach.
First 15 minutes
Give everyone a ball or start a tiny game. Say hello, show the edges, and get moving before you explain anything else.
Middle 15 minutes
Use a short story - sharks, treasure or a race. Show it once, then let them discover it through lots of quick turns.
Last 15 minutes
Finish with a real tiny game. Roll in a fresh ball as soon as one goes out and celebrate brave tries, not just goals.
A small rectangle, roughly a basketball court or smaller, is enough. Make two tiny fields when you can: fewer kids around each ball means more playing.
At this age, keep the game tiny and simple. Use your own league's rules on match day, but at practice start with 1v1, 2v2 or 3v3 and let every child have a ball whenever possible.
What the pictures mean
Just play
10-15 min
The idea Start moving, find the ball and go toward a goal.
Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Teach one thing
Short rounds
The idea Keeping the ball close while noticing other people.
Everyone dribbles in a square. One friendly freeze monster tries to tag them; a tagged child stands still with their ball above their head until a teammate high-fives them.
Shout Keep it close, look up
Play again
10-15 min
The idea Start moving, find the ball and go toward a goal.
Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Just play
10-15 min
The idea Start moving, find the ball and go toward a goal.
Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Teach one thing
5-10 min
The idea Lots of touches and turns.
Scatter cone gates around a small space. Every child has a ball and goes through any open gate.
Shout Little touches, turn away
Play again
Short rounds
The idea Dribbling with someone in the way.
Make a rectangle. The minnows dribble from one safe shore to the other while one or two sharks try to touch their ball.
Shout Head up, find a gap
Just play
10-15 min
The idea Start moving, find the ball and go toward a goal.
Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Teach one thing
Short rounds
The idea Dribbling with someone in the way.
Make a rectangle. The minnows dribble from one safe shore to the other while one or two sharks try to touch their ball.
Shout Head up, find a gap
Play again
Short rounds
The idea Going forward with the ball and changing direction.
Mark a middle band as the bulldog pound. Players with balls begin at either end and try to dribble through to the far side.
Shout Go, turn, go again
Just play
10-15 min
The idea Start moving, find the ball and go toward a goal.
Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Teach one thing
10 min
The idea Going to an open space with the ball.
Give each team an end zone. Score by dribbling under control into the far zone. Start 1v1, then add a teammate if it stays lively.
Shout Go forward, under control
Play again
Short rounds
The idea Going forward with the ball and changing direction.
Mark a middle band as the bulldog pound. Players with balls begin at either end and try to dribble through to the far side.
Shout Go, turn, go again
Just play
10-15 min
The idea Start moving, find the ball and go toward a goal.
Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Teach one thing
Short rounds
The idea Seeing the open goal and changing direction.
Set two cone goals at one end of a small field. The player with the ball can score in either; swap jobs after a goal or a minute.
Shout Which goal is open?
Play again
10 min
The idea Going to an open space with the ball.
Give each team an end zone. Score by dribbling under control into the far zone. Start 1v1, then add a teammate if it stays lively.
Shout Go forward, under control
Just play
10-15 min
The idea Start moving, find the ball and go toward a goal.
Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Teach one thing
10-15 min
The idea Finding a goal with space in front of it.
Give each team two cone goals to attack. Keep teams small and swap quickly.
Shout Can you find the other goal?
Play again
10 min
The idea Going to an open space with the ball.
Give each team an end zone. Score by dribbling under control into the far zone. Start 1v1, then add a teammate if it stays lively.
Shout Go forward, under control
Just play
5-10 min
The idea Lots of touches and turns.
Scatter cone gates around a small space. Every child has a ball and goes through any open gate.
Shout Little touches, turn away
Teach one thing
Short rounds
The idea Dribbling with someone in the way.
Make a rectangle. The minnows dribble from one safe shore to the other while one or two sharks try to touch their ball.
Shout Head up, find a gap
Play again
10-15 min
The idea Finding a goal with space in front of it.
Give each team two cone goals to attack. Keep teams small and swap quickly.
Shout Can you find the other goal?
Just play
10-15 min
The idea Start moving, find the ball and go toward a goal.
Make one tiny field with a cone goal at each end. Start 1v1, then make a second field or add a player as children arrive.
Shout Find your ball, go to the goal
Teach one thing
10-15 min
The idea Finding a goal with space in front of it.
Give each team two cone goals to attack. Keep teams small and swap quickly.
Shout Can you find the other goal?
Play again
Keeps going
The idea Fast starts and lots of little games.
Make two teams beside a tiny field. Call one, two or three and that many from each side run in when you serve a ball.
Shout Ready, go!
Just play
Keeps going
The idea Fast starts and lots of little games.
Make two teams beside a tiny field. Call one, two or three and that many from each side run in when you serve a ball.
Shout Ready, go!
Teach one thing
Short rounds
The idea Seeing the open goal and changing direction.
Set two cone goals at one end of a small field. The player with the ball can score in either; swap jobs after a goal or a minute.
Shout Which goal is open?
Play again
Keeps going
The idea Fast starts and lots of little games.
Make two teams beside a tiny field. Call one, two or three and that many from each side run in when you serve a ball.
Shout Ready, go!
The whole session
The whole session
The idea Finishing the season by playing.
Set up two tiny fields, make quick teams and play short games. Swap opponents after each round.
Shout Play, help, have fun
Quick check on any game
On the drive home
The Dual Eights dispatch
New analysis from all three desks, delivered occasionally.