Little Athletes Game

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By James Poggiogalle, A-Game Sports Toddler Program Director

Micro Soccer Game: “Foxes & Bunnies”
Who:

Young children ages 2-5

When:

Birthday parties, play dates, family gatherings

Why: 

Coordination, jumping, fine and gross motor skills, accuracy, doing big kicks with soccer balls, following direction

Where: 

Large and safe play area, backyard/front yard, basement

How:
Map out a rectangular field with cones to make the “bunny trail”. Children are the bunnies and you (the coach) are the fox. Using about 3-10 soccer balls (or any ball that is soft and good for kicking) set up the fox’s house outside of the bunny trail about half way down, clustering all the balls around you, while the bunnies wait at one end. When the game starts, the fox tries to kick the soccer balls at the bunnies feet while they hop across the bunny trail. If a fox kicks a soccer ball and hits a bunny on their bunny paw, then “POOF!” they turn into a fox and become a kicker. Keep playing until all the bunnies turn to foxes except one- the last bunny left is the winning bunny. For the next round, children choose if they want to be a bunny or a fox. In the final round, the coach becomes the bunny while all the children get to be foxes and kick the balls at your feet.

 

Soccer Shooting Tip

By Lulu Dyasi

When sending a driven ball towards a target, there are many things that are frequently overlooked. Follow these simple steps to make sure every ball goes exactly where you intended.

1) Your planted foot should be pointed toward the target.

2) Your planted leg should be slightly bent. This will allow you to generate power in the kicking foot.

3 The kicking foot should be flexed with the ankle locked.

4) Strike the ball with the instep or laces.

5) After striking the ball, your kicking foot should land first.  This will transfer the energy from your planted foot all the way through the ball towards your target.