How to help your child get better at football
Simple things to do at home, without pushing. For football and soccer parents, all ages.
Children get better at football by playing a lot and enjoying it. At home, add short sessions of 10 to 20 minutes with lots of touches on both feet, like wall passes, dribbling and garden 1v1s. Invite, do not order. Encourage other sports too, especially before age 12. Praise effort, not results.
Updated 15 October 2026. Sources at the end of the page.
Three things that matter most
- 01
Touches
The more times your child touches the ball, the better their control gets. Home drills are good for this.
- 02
Games
Decisions only come from playing against others. Kickabouts with friends and small-sided games build football IQ in a way drills cannot.
- 03
Enjoyment
Children who enjoy it play more. In a study of youth soccer, players, parents and coaches ranked being a good sport, trying hard and positive coaching as the top things that make sport fun. Winning ranked near the bottom of 81 factors.
Six football drills for kids at home
All you need is a ball and a small space. Pick two or three per session. Stop while your child still wants more.
Wall passes, both feet
Pass against a wall or a rebounder from five to ten steps away. Ten with the right foot, ten with the left, then one touch to control and one to pass.
Why: The most touches per minute you can get at home. Builds passing and first touch on both feet.
Look, then receive
Stand behind your child while they pass against a wall. Just before the ball comes back, hold up some fingers. They call the number, then control the ball.
Why: Builds the habit of looking around before the ball arrives, which coaches call scanning.
Dribble the line
Put out five to eight cones, shoes or bottles in a line. Dribble through using both feet, then only the left, then only the outside of the foot. Time it if your child likes a challenge.
Why: Close control and using both feet, with a clear way to see improvement.
Garden 1v1
You defend a small goal, your child attacks. Go gently. Let them try tricks and change direction. Swap roles.
Why: Bravery on the ball and real decisions against a defender.
Keepy-ups ladder
Start with one bounce between each touch. Then try two touches in a row, then three. Write down their best each week.
Why: Touch and balance, and something to practise alone.
Target shooting
Place two targets in the corners of a goal or a marked space. Shoot from different distances with both feet. Count hits, not goals.
Why: Accuracy over power, and weak-foot practice.
A wall works well. If you have space, see our guides to football rebounders (UK) and soccer rebounders (US). More ideas: football training aids, what size football.
How often to practise
For most children a good week looks like this: team training and a match, two or three short sessions at home of 10 to 20 minutes, and as much free play with friends as they want. Add rest days and other activities.
Short sessions are easier to keep fun and fit around school. If your child wants to play every day for fun, let them. If they do not want to practise, do not force it.
Play other sports too
The Aspen Institute’s Project Play recommends trying several sports through age 12. Other sports build coordination and movement skills that help in football, and children who try several sports tend to stay in sport longer.
Helping without pushing
Getting better at home: questions
How can my child get better at football?
Play more: team training, matches and free play with friends. At home, add short sessions with lots of touches on both feet, like wall passes and dribbling. Keep it fun and let your child lead. Children who enjoy football play more, and playing more is what makes them better.
How do I help my son or daughter get better at soccer at home?
Short sessions of 10 to 20 minutes, a few times a week. Use simple drills: passing against a wall, dribbling through cones, 1v1 in the garden and target shooting. Invite them to play rather than telling them to train. Stop while they still want more.
What football drills can kids do at home?
Wall passes with both feet, a look-then-receive game for scanning, dribbling through a line of cones or shoes, 1v1 against a parent, a keepy-ups ladder and target shooting. All need only a ball and a small space.
How long should kids practise football at home?
Around 10 to 20 minutes is plenty for most children. Short sessions are easier to keep fun and fit around school. Free play with friends can last longer, because it does not feel like training.
Should my child practise football every day?
Not as structured training. A few short sessions a week plus team football is enough for most children. Rest days and other activities matter. If your child wants to kick a ball every day for fun, that is great.
Should my child play other sports as well as football?
Yes, especially before about 12. The Aspen Institute’s Project Play recommends trying several sports through age 12. Other sports build coordination and movement skills, and children who try several sports tend to stay in sport longer.
How do I motivate my child to practise without pushing?
Make it their choice. Play with them, not at them. Praise effort, not results. Set small personal goals, like a keepy-ups record, and let them track them. In one study of youth soccer, players, parents and coaches ranked trying hard and being a good sport among the top things that make sport fun, and winning near the bottom.
How can my child improve their weak foot?
Use it in every drill at home: ten passes left, ten right. Play a garden game where goals only count with the weaker foot. Progress is slow at first, and a few minutes most days is enough.
What equipment do we need for football training at home?
A ball the right size for their age group (ask the club), and something to use as markers, like cones, shoes or bottles. A wall helps. If you have space and budget, a rebounder or small goal is a useful extra, but not necessary.
What if my child does not want to practise at home?
That is normal and fine. Plenty of children improve mostly by playing, not by drills. Offer a game instead of a drill, invite a friend, or leave it for a while. Pressure can turn football into a chore.
Can games or apps help my child get better at football?
A decision game can be a small extra for football IQ, because it gives many decisions in a few minutes. It does not build touch or fitness. Keep screens short and real play long.
- Aspen Institute Project Play, Youth Sports Playbook: Encourage sport sampling ↗
- George Washington University study on what makes youth sport fun (EurekAlert news release) ↗
- The FA 4 Corner Model, England Football Learning ↗
Updated 15 October 2026. Research describes groups of children, not any one child. Academy Parent is independent and not linked to any club, league or federation. Football IQ is our own free game.