Under 8 Soccer Drills, Games, and Exercises

1v1 Speed and Reaction Game

This 1v1 Speed and Reaction Game is a fun addition to any practice that focuses on quick reaction and speed, ending with a 1v1 to small goals.

1v1 Reaction Gate Challenge

This drill enhances 1v1 attacking and defending skills by training quick decision-making, reaction speed, and close ball control. Attackers learn to use deception, while defenders focus on anticipation and body positioning.

Passing Warm-up Drill

This is a passing warm-up drill that is a great start to every practice and before a game. Players will get a lot of touches on the ball and can focus on receiving and passing while getting in a good warm-up.

4v4 Soccer to a Small Gate

In Soccer, 4v4 is the smallest version of a full-sided game. While on the attack, to be successful in a four vs. four soccer match, players must penetrate via the pass, dribble, or shot; players must provide support to the player with the ball, and players need to create width to the field. On the defensive side, a player must pressure the ball to delay the attack, another player should cover for the player pressuring the ball, and the remaining two players balance the field of play. This 4v4 practice focuses on all aspects of the match, including attacking, defending, passing, receiving, supporting, penetrating, and spreading the field.

Pirates of the Pugg

This soccer dribbling drill is a great soccer drill using a Pugg Goal that can be tweaked to focus on many aspects of the game. For younger players ages 8-11, the primary focus should be on proper dribbling technique in traffic which requires vision and awareness. The coach can also focus on the transition from offense to defense if the ball is lost, or recovering from a tackle and finding safety. Defensively, this allows defenders to steal the ball from attackers and play to a particular goal or target.

The Flag Game - Dribbling in Tight Spaces

This soccer drill is designed to focus on young soccer players learning to dribble in tight spaces. This dribbling drill will help young players keep their eyes up and to become aware of their surroundings. This soccer drill also helps players keep close possession while dribbling.

Sharks and Minnows Soccer Drill

This soccer drill is designed for U6 and U8 players, emphasizing their ability to dribble effectively under pressure. It also teaches young players how to shield the ball by positioning their body between the ball and the defender, building essential dribbling and ball-protection skills.

1v1 Transition Game

That is a fast paced 1v1 transition game mean to focus on beating the defender and getting it into your teammate, or quickly transition to defense if the ball is lost.

Ouch!

"Ouch!" is an exciting and engaging soccer drill designed for younger players (U6, U7, and U8). It introduces essential skills like dribbling, keeping their heads up, and accurately striking the ball at a target. Best of all, it's a fun and interactive game that both players and coaches will enjoy!

1v1 50/50 to Goal Team Competition

This 1v1 soccer drill focuses on soccer fitness, scoring goals, shooting, goalkeeping, and winning 50-50 balls. This is a fun soccer drill for the younger soccer player.

Trapping with Passive Opposition

This soccer trapping drill focus on trapping and control with the addition of a passive defender. The defender causes the receiving player to be more aware of their surroundings.

Dribbling to Beat a Defender

The Dribbling to Beat a Defender soccer dribbling drill is wonderful when teaching young players when and where to dribble, and how to beat the defenders on the dribble. This dribbling drill is best for U8-U12 Soccer Players. The emphasis is on allowing the dribbling player to unbalance the defender while approaching unchallenged.

Extreme Tag Soccer Game

The Extreme Tag soccer game is a fun soccer drill that focuses on young soccer players dribbling skills and aids in player awareness. It is a great drill that causes players to change directions quickly to find space to avoid being tagged. 

Angle of Support Soccer Possession Drill

The Angle of Support Soccer Possession Drill is a soccer passing drill for teaching young players angle of support and spacing.

5v2 Rotating Defenders

This 5v2 drill will focus on keeping possession by making good passes as well as good passing decisions, moving to open space, and good communication.

World Cup Soccer Drill

The World Cup Soccer Drill is a great shooting game for kids of all ages. The World Cup Soccer game is a great drill to work on game-like situations while numbers down.

Soccer Ball Smash

The Soccer Ball Smash soccer passing drill will focus on the player who is just learning to pass, as this drill will focus on passing accuracy.

Four-Corner Shielding Drill

This is a great drill for teaching the basics of shielding as it focuses on positioning your body between the ball and the defender to protect the ball.

The Numbers Game

The Numbers Game soccer drill focuses on the 1v1 situational play for younger players. This  1v1 drill works on all dynamics of this game such as dribbling, shooting, shielding, turning and beating an opponent.

Soccer Dribbling and Juggling Warm-up

This soccer drill is a great warm-up drill that allows players to work on touching the ball with all parts of the foot. If you want to improve players footwork and dribbling skills, this is an excellent start to each practice.

Four Corners Aggressiveness and Fitness Drill

This soccer drill focuses on aggressiveness in winning 50/50 balls and fitness. This drill will be more beneficial for players under 8 and older.

Circle Keep-Away Passing Game

This keep-away game is a fun passing exercise for younger players that focuses on the passing game while playing keep away.

HItters and Dodgers

The hitters and dodgers soccer drill is a great warm-up and exercise for younger players under 5 through under 9. This soccer drill is excellent for teaching players to dribble and then getting their heads up to make a pass. This soccer drill is so much fun, and the younger players love this game.

Shadow Dribbling

This shadow soccer dribbling drill uses partners who do not attempt to gain possession of the ball but adds extra pressure as they follow the dribbler around and tries to imitate the lead dribblers every move.

Down and Back Dribbling Game

This drill is most effective with young players just learning to dribble. This drill teaches players to dribble in high traffic, high-pressure situations while staying in control. It's a great warm-up to focus on controlling the ball with all parts of the foot.

Dribbling Warm-up Drill

This soccer dribbling exercise is an excellent dribbling warm-up drill that will get players many touches on the ball in a short time.

1v1 to Multiple Goals (Dribbling)

This 1v1 soccer drill is an excellent drill for focusing on teaching players attacking skills such as taking on their opponent or learning to attack space. Defensively it will teach players the responsibility of man-marking.

Jam-Packed Soccer Dribbling Drill

The Jam-Packed Soccer Dribbling Drill will give players confidence while dribbling through congested areas on the soccer field.

Traffic Jam Dribbling Game

This game is just out right fun! The kids will have a blast playing this game. This drill is ideal for kids who know how to dribble but just need to learn to get their heads up and dribble under the pressures of mere congestion.

The Passing Name Game Warm-up

The objective of this soccer drill is to help young players improve the speed of play by thinking a step-ahead of the play.

Guard the Castle

The Guard the Castle drill is a great small-sided game that focuses on passing in numbers up situations. This soccer passing game is a fun drill the kids will love it!

Trapping and Control with No Opposition

This soccer skills drill aims to practice trapping and control with the foot, chest, and thigh.

Red Light, Green Light Soccer Drill

This soccer dribbling drill, designed for U4, U6, and U8 players, combines fun with skill-building by incorporating a familiar childhood game. It emphasizes close ball control and quick stopping, helping players refine their dribbling precision and responsiveness.

The Greeting Game

This soccer drill is specifically designed for younger players (U-6 and U-8). This drill will get the players moving, greeting each other, and a building block to introduce dribbling. Good for Camp activities for the younger players.

Dribbling at the Cone

The Dribbling at the Cone youth soccer dribbling drill is a good soccer dribbling drill for young soccer players to learn to dribble without opposition. It is a fabulous drill to introduce different fakes and faints to gain an edge on the defender.

Shooters and Shaggers Soccer Shooting Game

The Shooters and Shaggers Soccer Shooting Game is a great drill to improve shooting on target, leg strength and the instep drive when shooting with the shoelaces.

Pirate Treasure Dribbling Game

This soccer dribbling game is designed for young players ages 3-8. The Pirate Treasure Dribbling Game will focus on young players dribbling skills and is great fun for the kids.

Reaction, Acceleration, and Winning the Ball

This soccer drill focuses on reaction, acceleration, and winning 50-50 balls. This is a great warm-up drill when focusing on fitness, reaction time, or winning 50-50 balls.

Knock Out

This drill is a great warm-up drill for dribbling sessions as it focuses on dribbling and ball control, keeping the head up, change of direction and change of pace.

Soccer Tag Dribbling Game

Soccer Tag is an excellent soccer drill for young players ages under 5 through under 8. Soccer Tag is a fun soccer drill that allows players to gain confidence on the ball while getting a lot of touches.

Team Reaction Dribbling Drill

The team reaction dribbling drill is a fun soccer dribbling drill that focuses on dribbling and reacting to teammates.

Diagonal 1v1 Soccer Drill

This 1v1 soccer drill is great to focus on 1v1 play whether it is on the offensive or the defensive side. On the offensive side, you can get attackers to attack the defenders with speed, quick change of pace with an explosive touch to get away, and getting behind the defensive players. On the defensive side, you can focus on closing down quickly, forcing the attacker to the side and closing down the attack.

Clean Your Room

This soccer game is a great drill for U5 through U8 players. The clean your room soccer drill will focus on dribbling under pressure while also working on defensive pressure as an individual or a small group.

Can You Do This?

The Can You Do This? soccer drill focuses on players under 6 years old. It is designed to work on simple body movement, coordination, and balance.

Across-Field Warm-Up

This soccer drill is mainly focused on technical skills during warm up. This is a great drill to do at the beginning of each game.

Dribbling with Speed

This dribbling exercise that works on speed dribbling and getting the ball under control while dribbling with speed.

Soccer Pass and Move Drill

This soccer passing drill is a great drill to teach players movement, awareness, accuracy, timing, first touch and passing with all parts of the foot. This exercise is a good passing and moving soccer drill.

Frogger - Youth Dribbling Drill

This youth dribbling drill, "Frogger," is perfect for U6 and U8 soccer players, focusing on building confidence and improving dribbling skills under minimal pressure. This fun and engaging activity helps young players develop control and technique in a supportive environment.

Simon Says - Youth Soccer Drill

The "Simon Says Youth Soccer Drill" is a fun and engaging activity designed for U6 and U8 players, focusing on improving dribbling skills and close ball control. This drill helps young soccer players develop quick responses to instructions while also enhancing their listening skills in a dynamic and enjoyable way.

Criss-Cross Dribbling Game

The Criss-Cross dribbling drill focuses on the younger player. This dribbling drill assists players play with speed while keeping their heads up. Be warned, this drill can be dangerous for players who have a tendency of dribbling with their head down.

Indoor Shooting Drill

This is a great indoor soccer shooting drill to use while practicing indoors. This indoor soccer shooting drill also touches on dribbling, passing, using the walls, and finally shooting on goal.

Alien Tag Soccer Game

This is a fun game for 3 through 6 year-olds. This will focus on agility, vision, and awareness, but best of all, it's fun.

Coach's Revenge

This drill is a fun soccer drill. It will focus a bit on young players' agility while dodging balls kicked at them and is a great ice breaker or a fun warm-up game at the beginning of practice.

Teaching 1st Defender without Opposition

This soccer defending drill is excellent for teaching young players how to defend when they are the closest player to the opponent with the ball.

Line Passing Combination Warm-up

This combination passing drill is designed to work on combination play while advancing up the field. This passing drill focuses on the timing of passes, runs, combination play, and will be a great warm-up to passing practices.

Partner Pass and Move Soccer Warm-up

This soccer passing drill will help you focus and teach a young player how to pass with the correct surface on the foot, how to receive a ball and move after receiving the pass.

Indoor Dribbling and Passing Drill

This indoor soccer drill is great for warm-up to your indoor soccer practice. This focuses on dribbling and passing warm-up indoors.

Body Parts Warm-up Game

This fun soccer dribbling drill focuses on the younger player's dribbling skills, and the ability to listen to directions and think quick on their feet while holding the ball close. This drill is an excellent dribbling warm-up exercise for Under 4, Under 5, and Under 6 soccer players.

1v1 1st Attacker Dribbling Without Opposition

This 1v1 dribbling exercise allows coaches to focus on the 1st attacker's ability to beat the defender on the dribble. In this soccer drill, the coach should focus on the attacker's approach, make sure the attacker has a change in direction, and finish with a burst of speed (change of pace). This drill helps beginners get a feel for moving around defenders.

4v1 Rondo

This rondo variation is geared for younger player or players you are just introducing to the rondo training.

Shooting Warmup

This shooting warm-up drill will focus on long-range passing, accuracy, and finishing. It can also be used as a fitness exercise by manipulating the numbers.

Line Passing Overlap Warm-up

This passing and overlapping warm-up soccer drill will help perfect the introduction of overlapping runs, playing off the pass, as well as teamwork through communication.

Fun Soccer Dribbling Warm-up

This is a fun soccer dribbling warm-up game that is an excellent ice-breaker at the beginning of the season or the beginning of a camp to get the kids warmed up with a light, fun dribbling game. These exercises might are a bit advanced for the beginner soccer player.

Inside of the Foot Passing Warm-up

This passing warm-up drill will focus on accuracy when passing with the inside of the foot. 

Instep Shooting Drill

This soccer shooting drill focuses on the instep drive. This shooting technique is an essential method of striking a ball when shooting. The instep drive hits the shot with the foot's shoelace with the toe pointed down and the ankle locked.

The Soccer Gauntlet

The primary focus of THE SOCCER GAUNTLET is centered around proper dribbling technique in traffic which requires vision and awareness.

Catch Me If You Can

The soccer dribbling drill is a fun and competitive exercise that focuses on dribbling with speed.

Snake in the Grass Soccer Game

This is a great soccer game for under 6 and under 8 soccer players. This soccer game is designed to work on young players coordination and body movements.

1 on 1 (1v1) Soccer Progression

This one-on-one (1v1)progression will focus on required dribbling skills, body feints, and the required burst of speed to beat a defender.

Monster Turns

This fun youth soccer drill focuses on the U6 and U8 players dribbling skills. The added pressure allows the players to turn away from pressure while remaining in control of the ball.

Zig-Zag Dribbling Drill

The Zig-Zag soccer dribbling drill focuses on dribbling with speed with the inside, the outside, and the bottom of the foot.

T-Cone Dribbling Drill

The T-Cone soccer dribbling drill is a great drill to focus on dribbling with speed, controlled touches, turns, and fitness.

Shark Attack Soccer Drill

The Shark Attack drill is excellent for developing dribbling skills in a fun and engaging environment, encouraging young players to think and move quickly while maintaining control of the ball. This drill will help improve dribbling skills under pressure and to develop spatial awareness and agility.

Soccer Dribbling Basics

This soccer dribbling drill is fundamental to young player's development, laying the foundation for more advanced dribbling skills. Keeping the environment fun and encouraging is important, allowing players to build confidence in their ball-handling abilities. This drill introduces and improves basic dribbling skills and helps develop coordination and control of the ball with both feet.

4v4, Thirds of the Field, Shape and Positioning

This 4v4 drill is great for improving shape and positioning. Each player has their own responsibility: 1) attacker/target player stretches the field closer to the goal they are attacking. 2) winger players stretch the width of the field. 3) defensive player gives support to wingers and target player while staying the last man.

1v1 Transition

This is a fast-paced 1v1 game that focuses on quickly transitioning from the attack to defense.

1v1 Elimination Challenge

This drill sharpens 1v1 attacking, defending, and finishing under pressure. Players must react quickly after scoring, transition between attack and defense, and stay composed in high-pressure situations.

Dribble Speed Tag

This drill enhances dribbling under pressure, quick changes of direction, and spatial awareness. Players learn to protect the ball while navigating through a crowded area at speed.

Dribblers vs. Defenders Challenge

This drill develops dribbling under pressure, defensive tackling skills, and quick decision-making. Dribblers learn to protect the ball while defenders work on pressing and winning possession.

1v1 with 4 Small Goals Funino

This drill improves 1v1 attacking skills, defensive positioning, and finishing under pressure. Players learn to recognize attacking opportunities while also being responsible for defending their assigned goals.

2v2 with 4 Small Goals Funino

This drill enhances small-group play by developing combination play, defensive communication, and finishing under pressure. Players work on quick transitions between attack and defense in a game-like setting.

Dribbling with Pressure on the Back

This drill improves a player's ability to protect the ball while dribbling under pressure. It teaches awareness, quick reactions, and body positioning to maintain possession against a defender.

Dribbling and Turning with Pressure on the Back

This drill teaches players how to turn effectively when under defensive pressure. It improves awareness, body positioning, and ball protection while developing confidence in 1v1 situations.

Variable Distance Passing Game

This drill improves passing accuracy, technique, and decision-making at varying distances. Players learn to adjust power and precision while maintaining consistency under pressure.

3v3 to Goals

This drill develops players' ability to attack and defend in small spaces while encouraging quick decision-making, teamwork, and fitness through constant movement.

1v1 to Tall Cones

This drill develops individual attacking and defending skills by challenging players to dribble under pressure, protect the ball, and accurately pass or shoot to knock over cones for points.

Fixed Distance Passing Game

This drill helps players develop passing accuracy, weight of pass, and first-touch control. It also reinforces teamwork and focus while progressively increasing difficulty by narrowing the passing gate.

Escape

This drill enhances a player’s ability to move under pressure while maintaining balance and control. It also encourages teamwork and coordination among defenders using their hips to contain the central player.

Troll Crossing Game

Develops dribbling under pressure, decision-making in 1v1 situations, and ball protection. Players learn to change direction and use feints to evade defenders.

Obstacle Course Dribble Drill

The Obstacle Course dribbling drill is a fun way for young players to practice dribbling in a more dynamic and challenging environment. This drill involves an obstacle course with cones through which players dribble their soccer balls. It's designed to mimic game situations where players must navigate opponents or tight spaces. It helps develop their ability to control the ball under various conditions, an essential skill for soccer players of all levels. This drill helps to improve dribbling skills and agility and enhances coordination and control while maneuvering the ball around obstacles.

Follow the Leader Dribbling

In this drill, players follow a leader who dribbles the ball around the field, performing various movements and turns. The followers must mimic the leader's actions, encouraging them to pay close attention and react quickly. Use this drill to help enhance dribbling skills and agility and to develop the ability to imitate and react to different movements and techniques.

Dribbling Through Gates Competition

Develop players' dribbling skills by challenging them to navigate through multiple gates within a 1-minute timeframe. This drill emphasizes quick decision-making and ball control under pressure. The goal is to enhance agility and precision while maintaining speed during dribbling.

Stop and Turn Dribbling Relay Race

Introduce a competitive element with the Stop and Turn Soccer Dribbling Relay Race, emphasizing stopping, turning, and directional changes. This drill reinforces quick transitions and sharpens players' ability to control the ball during directional shifts. The objective is to improve precision and speed in executing turns under pressure.

4v4 Scrimmage to Mini-Goals

The objective of a 4v4 soccer scrimmage to mini-goals is to replicate the dynamics of a full-sided game in a smaller, more controlled environment. This format encourages players to focus on quick decision-making, positioning, and maintaining possession under pressure, as well as improving their ability to transition between attacking and defending. The mini-goals emphasize accuracy and composure in front of the goal, helping players develop finishing skills without the presence of a goalkeeper.

Hospital Tag Soccer Game

Hospital Tag combines fun with skill development, reinforcing dribbling techniques in a lively, competitive setting. This drill keeps young players engaged while challenging them to maintain control of the ball under pressure. The focus is on improving dribbling accuracy and agility in a dynamic environment.

Red Light, Green Light, Bumper Cars

Red Light, Green Light, Bumper Cars drill enhances dribbling, coordination, and agility while introducing players to controlled body contact. This exercise helps young players develop comfort with physical play and improves their ability to maintain control under pressure. The goal is to build confidence in handling body contact while refining fundamental soccer skills.

Tail Tag - Fun Soccer Game

Tail Tag is an energetic game designed to enhance agility, spatial awareness, and quick decision-making for U6 players. This drill encourages young players to stay alert and react swiftly to changing situations. The focus is on developing foundational movement skills in a fun and engaging environment.

3v3, 4-Goal Small-Sided Game Funino

This drill encourages players to recognize attacking opportunities by creating space, making quick decisions, and choosing the best option between two goals. Defensively, players learn to cover space effectively and transition quickly.