Intro to Soccer

3/4 Year Olds

Each forty-five minute lesson plan is designed to introduce soccer to new players in a fun and low-pressure environment. The goal is to use each class to help every player in five areas:

Motor-skill - we’ll show them how to use their body for sport.
Soccer skill - we’ll show them the fundamentals of soccer.
Soccer principle - we’ll show them how the skill relates to the game.
Rules - we’ll help them understand group and coach dynamics
Laws of the Game - we'll ensure they know the basics on the game.

This curriculum is designed to be easy to understand, enjoyable and challenging. This curriculum is designed to be co-operative, each child should have a parent working with them.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

week 1

What is Soccer?

Motor Skill - Balancing

Soccer Skill - Ball Familiarization

Principle -

The basics (we kick, we dribble, we shoot - no hands)

Rule -

Out of bounds (what do the lines mean)?

Warm-up:

Create a warm-up routine that stays similar week-to-week. Incorporate movements with and without the ball and introduce a new skill or move every week that leads into your topic. Some examples of things to introduce are:

- toe touches
- tik-toks
- pull backs
- running backwards
- shuffling
- skipping
- duck walking

  
    Activity 1: 
  Musical Cones
  
Activity 2: 
  Coach Says
  
Activity 3: 
  Cats & Dogs
  
Activity 4: 
  Numbers Soccer (one at a time)

Wrap-Up:

Pull all of your players in to recap the session and check for learning - finish with a team cheer or group high-five.

^ Back to top

week 2

Ball Manipulation

  
    Motor Skill - 
  running and stopping

  
    Soccer Skill - 
  dribbling the ball

Principle -

Keeping the ball close and under control

Rule -

What is a goal and what do they mean?

Warm-up:

Create a warm-up routine that stays similar week-to-week. Incorporate movements with and without the ball and introduce a new skill or move every week that leads into your topic. Some examples of things to introduce are:

- toe touches
- tik-toks
- pull backs
- running backwards
- shuffling
- skipping
- duck walking

  
    Activity 1: 
  Traffic Lights
  
Activity 2: 
  Follow the Leader
  
Activity 3: 
  The Animal Game
  
Activity 4: 
  Numbers Soccer (1v1 race)

Wrap-Up:

Pull all of your players in to recap the session and check for learning - finish with a team cheer or group high-five.

^ Back to top

week 3

Dealing with obstacles/opponents

  
    Motor Skill - 
weaving and dodging

  
    Soccer Skill - 
weaving with the ball

Principle -

Finding a way to the goal

Rule -

No hands

Warm-up:

Create a warm-up routine that stays similar week-to-week. Incorporate movements with and without the ball and introduce a new skill or move every week that leads into your topic. Some examples of things to introduce are:

- toe touches
- tik-toks
- pull backs
- running backwards
- shuffling
- skipping
- duck walking

  
    Activity 1: 
Traffic Lights
  
Activity 2: 
Gate Ball
  
Activity 3: 
Sharks & Minnows (coach/parent is the shark)
  
Activity 4: 
  Numbers Soccer (players go 1v1)

Wrap-Up:

Pull all of your players in to recap the session and check for learning - finish with a team cheer or group high-five.

^ Back to top

week 4

Kicking

  
    Motor Skill - 
Jumping, hopping, and landing

  
    Soccer Skill - 
kicking technique
  
(players should hop next to the ball as they make a kick, balancing close to the ball on their non-kicking foot. They should be able to hold their balance for a couple of seconds after the kick.)

Principle -

Kicking it in to the goal

Rule -

No pushing/pulling

Warm-up:

Create a warm-up routine that stays similar week-to-week. Incorporate movements with and without the ball and introduce a new skill or move every week that leads into your topic. Some examples of things to introduce are:

- toe touches
- tik-toks
- pull backs
- running backwards
- shuffling
- skipping
- duck walking

  
    Activity 1: 
Hit the coach/parent
  
Activity 2: 
Builders & Blasters
  
Activity 3: 
Clean Your Room
  
Activity 4: 
Team Relay race to goal

Wrap-Up:

Pull all of your players in to recap the session and check for learning - finish with a team cheer or group high-five.

^ Back to top

week 5

Stopping the Ball

  
    Motor Skill - 
Catching & absorbing

  
    Soccer Skill - 
Trapping the ball

Principle -

Blocking the goal

Rule -

What happens after you score a goal?

Warm-up:

Create a warm-up routine that stays similar week-to-week. Incorporate movements with and without the ball and introduce a new skill or move every week that leads into your topic. Some examples of things to introduce are:

- toe touches
- tik-toks
- pull backs
- running backwards
- shuffling
- skipping
- duck walking

  
    Activity 1: 
Musical Cones (variation)
  
Activity 2: 
Block the Goal
  
Activity 3: 
Throw/trap & throw/catch
  
Activity 4: 
Sharks & Minnows (players as the shark)

Wrap-Up:

Pull all of your players in to recap the session and check for learning - finish with a team cheer or group high-five.

^ Back to top

week 6

Stealing the Ball

  
    Motor Skill - 
moving backwards and laterally

  
    Soccer Skill - 
Stealing the ball from an opponent

Principle -

Taking the ball from an opponent

Rule -

Don’t hurt your opponent

Warm-up:

Create a warm-up routine that stays similar week-to-week. Incorporate movements with and without the ball and introduce a new skill or move every week that leads into your topic. Some examples of things to introduce are:

- toe touches
- tik-toks
- pull backs
- running backwards
- shuffling
- skipping
- duck walking

  
    Activity 1: 
Tag
  
Activity 2: 
Blob Tag
  
Activity 3: 
Cops & Robbers
  
Activity 4: 
Numbers Soccer (2v2)

Wrap-Up:

Pull all of your players in to recap the session and check for learning - finish with a team cheer or group high-five.

^ Back to top

week 7

Sharing the Ball

  
    Motor Skill - 
throwing and rolling the ball

  
    Soccer Skill - 
Passing

Principle -

Sharing the ball with a teammate

Rule -

What happens when the ball goes out of bounds? Throw-in.

Warm-up:

Create a warm-up routine that stays similar week-to-week. Incorporate movements with and without the ball and introduce a new skill or move every week that leads into your topic. Some examples of things to introduce are:

- toe touches
- tik-toks
- pull backs
- running backwards
- shuffling
- skipping
- duck walking

  
    Activity 1: 
Soccer Bowling
  
Activity 2: 
Piggy in the Middle
  
Activity 3: 
Blob Tag (variation)
  
Activity 4: 
2v2 or 3v3 scrimmage

Wrap-Up:

Pull all of your players in to recap the session and check for learning - finish with a team cheer or group high-five.

^ Back to top

week 8

Summary

  
    Motor Skill - 
Everything

  
    Soccer Skill - 
Everything

Principle -

Teamwork

Rule -

How do we make sure soccer is fun for everyone?

Warm-up:

Create a warm-up routine that stays similar week-to-week. Incorporate movements with and without the ball and introduce a new skill or move every week that leads into your topic. Some examples of things to introduce are:

- toe touches
- tik-toks
- pull backs
- running backwards
- shuffling
- skipping
- duck walking

  
    Activity 1: 
Players' choice
  
Activity 2: 
Soccer obstacle course
  
Activity 3: 
Steal the Bacon
  
Activity 4: 
2v2 or 3v3 scrimmage

Wrap-Up:

Pull all of your players in to recap the session and check for learning - finish with a team cheer or group high-five.

Intro to Soccer

3/4 Year Olds

week 1

What is Soccer?

Motor Skill - Balancing

Soccer Skill - Ball Familiarization

Principle -

Rule -

Warm-up:

Activity 1: Musical Cones

Activity 2: Coach Says

Activity 3: Cats & Dogs

Activity 4: Numbers Soccer (one at a time)

Wrap-Up:

week 2

Ball Manipulation

Motor Skill - running and stopping

Soccer Skill - dribbling the ball

Principle -

Rule -

Warm-up:

Activity 1: Traffic Lights

Activity 2: Follow the Leader

Activity 3: The Animal Game

Activity 4: Numbers Soccer (1v1 race)

Wrap-Up:

week 3

Dealing with obstacles/opponents

Motor Skill - weaving and dodging

Soccer Skill - weaving with the ball

Principle -

Rule -

Warm-up:

Activity 1: Traffic Lights

Activity 2: Gate Ball

Activity 3: Sharks & Minnows (coach/parent is the shark)

Activity 4: Numbers Soccer (players go 1v1)

Wrap-Up:

week 4

Kicking

Motor Skill - Jumping, hopping, and landing

Soccer Skill - kicking technique

Principle -

Rule -

Warm-up:

Activity 1: Hit the coach/parent

Activity 2: Builders & Blasters

Activity 3: Clean Your Room

Activity 4: Team Relay race to goal

Wrap-Up:

week 5

Stopping the Ball

Motor Skill - Catching & absorbing

Soccer Skill - Trapping the ball

Principle -

Rule -

Warm-up:

Activity 1: Musical Cones (variation)

Activity 2: Block the Goal

Activity 3: Throw/trap & throw/catch

Activity 4: Sharks & Minnows (players as the shark)

Wrap-Up:

week 6

Stealing the Ball

Motor Skill - moving backwards and laterally

Soccer Skill - Stealing the ball from an opponent

Principle -

Rule -

Warm-up:

Activity 1: Tag

Activity 2: Blob Tag

Activity 3: Cops & Robbers

Activity 4: Numbers Soccer (2v2)

Wrap-Up:

week 7

Sharing the Ball

Motor Skill - throwing and rolling the ball

Soccer Skill - Passing

Principle -

Rule -