A good backyard soccer session needs a ball, a few cones and somewhere the ball can't run off. Six solo skills fit in almost any yard: juggling, trapping, dribbling, passing, wall work and ball taps. Rotate them in a 30-minute block and a player keeps touching the ball for the whole half hour, no team needed.
Below is each skill with a setup you can copy, then three ready-made 30-minute plans by age and yard size. Everything here works for one player or a parent and kid together.
What do you need for backyard soccer training?
Less than most people buy. One ball in the size your child plays with on Saturdays, six to ten flat cones, and a target to kick at. US Youth Soccer's playing rules (December 2025) use a size 3 through 8U, a size 4 for 10U to 12U and a size 5 from 13U, so practice with that same ball. Our soccer ball size by age guide has the full chart.
The target is where most home sessions fall apart. Kick at a fence or a pop-up net and you spend half the time walking to get the ball. That's the problem a rebounder or backstop solves, and we'll come back to it.
Juggling: how do you practice juggling in a small yard?
Juggling needs about a 6-foot circle and nothing else. Start by dropping the ball onto the laces, kicking it up once and catching it. When that's easy, let it bounce once between touches, then go bounce-free.
Count, and write the best number on the garage wall with chalk. Kids who'd never do "ten minutes of juggling" will happily try to beat 23. Once they can keep it up with the stronger foot, alternate feet, then add a thigh touch every third. Our guide to juggling a soccer ball breaks down each stage.
Trapping: how do you practice receiving a ball alone?
Throw or kick the ball up, then kill it with the first touch so it lands within a step of you. That's the whole drill. Use the inside of the foot, the sole, the thigh and the chest.
Make it measurable. Set a 3-foot square of cones and count how many traps out of ten stay inside it. Start with soft throws from a parent, then self-serves, then higher balls. For more variations, see our guide to soccer trapping.
Dribbling: what's a good backyard dribbling setup?
A line of five cones about 3 feet apart. Weave through using only the right foot, then only the left, then the outside of each foot. Time each run and keep the best time on the chalk wall too.
Two upgrades once that's easy. Put the cones in a figure eight so the player turns both ways. Then have a parent stand behind the cones and hold up fingers at random; the player calls the number out, which only works if their head is up. Our dribbling drills article has six more layouts.
Passing: how do you practice passing without a partner?
Pass at a small target from 10 yards, then step back 5 yards each time you hit it three times in a row. Two cones about 2 feet apart work as a gate. A second ball sitting on the grass is harder, and kids love knocking it away.
Split every set between both feet. Finish with a few lofted passes into a marked zone, since not every pass in a game stays on the ground. For partner versions when a sibling is around, see our soccer passing drills.
Using a wall: what can a wall do that cones can't?
Send the ball back. A garage wall or the side of a shed with no windows nearby turns passing into passing and receiving. Stand 5 yards off, pass with the inside of the foot, control the return, pass again. Then try one-touch, and then let it bounce once and strike it back with the laces.
Walls have limits. The return is always flat and predictable, they leave scuff marks, and a miss still means a walk. A rebounder net sends the ball back at different heights and speeds depending on where you hit it, which gives a player more kinds of ball to deal with. Our guide to the best ways to use a soccer rebounder has five drills for one.
Ball taps: what is the stair-step drill?
It's the quick-feet drill where a player taps the top of the ball with the sole of one foot, then the other, hopping lightly between touches while the ball stays put. Coaches also call them toe taps. Start with 20 seconds on, 20 seconds off, and count taps.
Ball taps fit in a space the size of a doormat, so they're the drill for rainy days on the patio. Once they're smooth, add a quarter turn every ten taps, or tap around the ball in a circle. Our toe tap guide has the progressions.
How do you keep practice going when the ball keeps getting away?
Use something that sends the ball back. Shooting at an empty net is where backyard sessions stall: every miss is a 30-second walk, and a 30-minute session turns into ten minutes of kicking.
The Open Goaaal® 3-in-1 Soccer Goal Trainer puts a goal, rebounder and backstop on one frame, so shots on target come back and most misses stop in the net behind. Three drills make the most of it.
- Shoot and react. Shoot, control whatever comes back, shoot again. Ten in a row, then rest.
- One-touch passing. Pass into the rebounder from 8 yards and send each return straight back. Count how many in a row before it gets away.
- Target practice. Hang a corner target in the goal and play first to five hits against a sibling or parent.
For a smaller lawn or younger kids, the Junior has an 8 x 4.5 ft goal and an 8 ft tall backstop. The Standard is 9 x 5 ft with a 10 ft backstop.
What does a 30-minute backyard session look like?
Pick the plan that fits your player and yard. Each block is five minutes unless noted, and the order goes from easy touches to shooting so the noisy part comes last.
| Block | U6 to U8, any yard | U9 to U12, medium yard | U13 and up, larger yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Warm touches | Ball taps, 20 sec on and off | Ball taps with turns | Ball taps and sole rolls |
| 2. Juggling | Drop, kick, catch | One-bounce juggling, both feet | Feet and thighs, beat your record |
| 3. Trapping | Parent throws, sole or inside foot | Self-serve into a 3 ft square | High self-serves, chest and thigh |
| 4. Dribbling | 5 cones, one foot then the other | Figure eight, timed | Figure eight, call the parent's fingers |
| 5. Passing | Knock over a cone from 5 yards | Gate from 10 yards, step back | Gate from 15 yards plus lofted passes |
| 6. Shooting | Shoot and react, 5 at a time | Shoot and react, 10 at a time | Target practice, first to 5 |
Short on room? Drop dribbling and double the ball taps. Short on time? Do blocks 1, 3 and 6. To add variety on the shooting block, roll our soccer training dice: one die picks where to shoot, one how, and one adds a condition like weak foot or a 3-second limit.
FAQ
How much space do you need for backyard soccer training?
Juggling and ball taps fit on a patio. Dribbling needs about 20 feet in a line, and passing works best with 10 to 15 yards. If you want a layout, see our guide to building a backyard soccer field.
How often should kids practice soccer at home?
As often as they want to. A short session that happens beats a long one that doesn't, so keep the equipment set up and easy to grab.
Can you train soccer alone in the backyard?
Yes. Every drill above works solo. A wall or rebounder sends the ball back, so passing and receiving work with nobody else around.
What is the best backyard drill for young kids?
Shoot and react, with a goal that sends the ball back. It keeps them busy without anyone fetching balls, and they get to score.
Where to start
Pick one of the three plans, set the cones up once, and leave them. Then add the shooting block when you have a target that keeps the ball in the yard. If the ball still escapes over the fence, our guide to keeping soccer balls in your backyard covers the fixes.
