Good U6 soccer drills give every child a ball, keep lines to zero and switch every few minutes. Here are eight that work: Space Wars, King of the Ring, Matching Pairs, 1v1 to Goal, 1, 2, 3 Dribble, Clean the Room, Fill the Bucket and Team Tag.
The game these drills feed into is small. The US Youth Soccer Policy on Players and Playing Rules (December 5, 2025) sets no more than four players a side for 6-and-under, with three strongly recommended, a size 3 ball and four 6-minute quarters. U.S. Soccer's U6 age-group guide lists 1v1, 2v1 and 2v2 as the practice games, with no set positions and no heading. One more thing for this fall: from the 2026-27 registration year, US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO group players on an August 1 to July 31 cycle (US Youth Soccer, June 10, 2025), so check which group your child lands in.
8 fun U6 soccer drills
Each drill below keeps a ball at every child's feet, or gets a knocked-out child back in within seconds. A five-year-old standing third in line is a five-year-old studying a dandelion.
1. Space Wars
Space Wars puts two teams inside one square of cones, every player with a ball. Players dribble around and try to knock the other team's balls out of the square with a pass while keeping their own ball inside. If your ball leaves, you dribble one lap around the outside of the square and come back in.
Coaching notes
Expect big swings that send their own ball out of the square too. We let that play out for a round, then ask, "Who kept their ball in the whole time?" and get that child to show everyone how.
2. King of the Ring
Everyone dribbles inside the ring except one player in a different-colored pinnie, the king or queen, who has no ball and tries to kick balls out. A child whose ball goes out does one lap of the ring and rejoins. Swap the king every minute.
Coaching notes
Say "eyes up" once and start. When a child turns away from the king, name what they did ("Nice, you used the bottom of your foot") so the others hear it.
3. Matching Pairs
Pair kids up, one ball between two. Partner A dribbles; partner B follows like a shadow. On your whistle, A passes to B and they swap jobs. After a few rounds, put a small cone goal at each end; on the second whistle, whoever has the ball goes to score.
Coaching notes
Keep it in pairs rather than long passing chains. The U6 guide lists 1v1, 2v1 and 2v2 as the games for this age, and with no set positions there's no keeper to build the drill around.
4. 1v1 to Goal
Two small cone goals about 15 yards apart. Two kids at a time play 1v1, first goal wins, and the next two step in. With eight kids, run two fields side by side so nobody waits more than one game.
Coaching notes
Play it without a keeper and count any shot from inside the area. The U6 guide asks for shooting games with lots of chances to score, and a 15-yard 1v1 gives a five-year-old plenty.
5. 1, 2, 3 Dribble
Use four lines of cones to make three zones across the field. Kids dribble freely on one side. One whistle means everybody crosses through zone 1 to the far side, two whistles means zone 2, and three means zone 3.
Coaching notes
Nobody wins this one, which helps the child who melts down when they lose. The only challenge is crossing without bumping anyone else's ball.
6. Clean the Room
Split a field in half with cones and dump 10 to 12 balls on the center line. On "go," each team kicks balls into the other team's half. After three minutes, stop. The team with fewer balls on its side wins.
Coaching notes
Feet only, and split the teams so each side has a mix of confident and cautious kids. It will look like chaos, which at five years old is fine.
7. Fill the Bucket
Make a bucket in the middle of the field with four cones. Teams of three line up on opposite sides, each kid with a ball. One at a time, they dribble to the bucket, stop the ball inside, and run to the other side, which sends the next teammate. When all balls are in, empty it the same way.
Coaching notes
Our drills for 8-year-olds run a bigger version of this relay, so it carries on when your player moves up.
8. Team Tag
Half the group has balls, half doesn't. Players with a ball try to hit the runners below the knee with a pass along the ground. Two minutes, count the hits, then swap.
Coaching notes
Only passes along the ground count, and only below the knee. Ask for the inside of the foot; a child who blasts it watches the ball roll out of the area and usually tries something softer next time.
What does a U6 soccer game look like?
It's three or four kids a side with a size 3 ball, short quarters and no heading. Here is the US Youth Soccer standard next to the U.S. Soccer guide:
| Item | U6 standard | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Players per side | No more than 4, 3 strongly recommended | US Youth Soccer Rule 303 |
| Game length | 4 quarters of 6 minutes | US Youth Soccer Rule 303 |
| Ball | Size 3 | US Youth Soccer Rule 303 |
| Heading | None for 10 and under | US Youth Soccer Rule 305; U.S. Soccer U6 guide |
| Offside | None before U9 | U.S. Soccer, August 2017 |
| Positions | No set positions | U.S. Soccer U6 guide |
State associations can change these, so your league's rule book wins. The offside line comes from U.S. Soccer's small-sided standards explainer (August 1, 2017).
How long should a U6 practice be?
We run four blocks of about 10 minutes, with a water break between each. That's our plan, not a rule, but it follows the U6 guide's advice to use regular short breaks and fits a one-hour field slot.
| Block | Idea | Drills |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everyone moving with a ball | 1, 2, 3 Dribble, King of the Ring |
| 2 | Ball with a chaser | Space Wars, Team Tag |
| 3 | Lots of shots | 1v1 to Goal, Fill the Bucket |
| 4 | Small game | 2v2 or 3v3 to cone goals |
U.S. Soccer calls this shape Play-Practice-Play (February 27, 2018): play first, then a targeted activity, then a game with little interruption.
What should a parent-coach say at U6 practice?
As little as possible, in short sentences. The U6 guide asks coaches to keep instructions short, use simple words and give positive, specific praise. On a Saturday morning that sounds like this:
- "Everybody get a ball. Inside the cones. Go."
- "Small touches. Keep it close to your shoes."
- "You stopped it with the bottom of your foot. Great."
- "Freeze. Foot on the ball. Water."
What equipment does a U6 team need?
You need a size 3 ball per child (see our ball size by age guide), about 20 cones, pinnies in two colors and small goals or more cones. At home it shrinks to one ball, a few cones and something to shoot at. The Open Goaaal® Junior 3-in-1 Soccer Goal is a goal, rebounder and backstop in one: inner goal 8 x 4.5 feet, backstop 8 feet tall and up to 16 feet wide. Most misses come back, which matters when the shooter is five. Setup takes two adults about an hour and a half the first time; the Junior build video shows each step. A corner target gives older siblings something smaller to aim at.
U6 soccer questions parents ask
Do U6 teams have goalies?
Not as a set position. U.S. Soccer's U6 guide has no set positions and lists games of 1v1 to 2v2, though it does include basic goalkeeping skills such as catching and throwing. Whether a game uses a keeper is your league's call.
Can five-year-olds head the ball?
No. US Youth Soccer Rule 305 bars heading for 10 and under, and the U6 guide says no heading in practice or games.
How long is a U6 game?
Four 6-minute quarters under the US Youth Soccer policy, unless your state association sets something else.
How old do you have to be to play U6?
That depends on the birth date and, from 2026-27, the August 1 cycle. Our guide on how old kids have to be to play soccer covers starting ages.
This article is general information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. For a persistent or worsening symptom, or any concern about your health, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
If you change one thing this season, take the lines out of practice. When you need more games, fun soccer games for kids and our Sharks and Minnows guide use the same cones, and our soccer goals are there when the backyard becomes the practice field.
