Soccer Drills for 7 and 8 Year Olds

What U8 players need (ages 6 to 8)

U7 and U8 players still love the ball at their feet, but they're starting to notice teammates. Good U8 practice keeps the touches high and slowly adds passing and teamwork:

• Lots of touches still come first. Every player needs a ball in the warm-up, and no activity should leave more than two kids waiting.
• Passing is new. Many players can pass to a partner who is standing still. Gate passing and 3v1 teach them to pass to someone who is moving and open.
• They love to compete. Keep score and personal bests, but celebrate effort and brave play, not just winners.
• Bunching up is normal. Teach "spread out" through games like the four-goal game, not through lectures.
• One idea at a time. Give one coaching point per activity, and treat a lost ball as part of learning.

US Soccer's 2026 U.S. WAY guidance sets 4v4 as the maximum game format for U7–U8 and says smaller formats are fine. Its small-sided standards (PDI) define the U8 game in detail:

Because the real game is 4v4 with no keepers, the drills below use small goals, small groups and lots of 1v1 and 2v1 moments. For birth-year details and how age groups work this season, see youth soccer age groups.

Best U8 soccer drills with diagrams

These 12 U8 soccer drills also suit U7 teams. They're grouped by skill, two per group, so you can build a practice by picking from three or four groups. Start with the dribbling games, add passing as your team improves, and use the small-sided games as your scrimmage.

Team A Team B Coach Keeper Cone Pass Run Dribble Shot

Dribbling drills for 7 and 8 year olds

Tag games keep every player dribbling with their head up, and nobody sits out for long.

Sharks and Minnows

Focus: Dribbling at speed, getting past a defender, protecting the ball

Ages

U7–U10 (ages 6–10)

Players

8–16, one ball per minnow

Time

10 minutes

Space

25 × 20 yards

Equipment

1 ball per player, 4 cones, Pinnies for the sharks

How it works

1. On "Fishy, fishy, cross my ocean!", the minnows dribble to the far end line without losing their ball.
2. The sharks try to win a ball or kick it out of the area.
3. A minnow who loses the ball leaves it by a corner cone and becomes a shark for the next crossing.
4. When only two or three minnows are left, pick new sharks and start again. Short rounds keep everyone moving.

Coaching points

• Keep the ball close when a shark is near; push it into space when the way is clear
• Look up to find gaps between the sharks
• Change speed and direction to get past a shark
• Sharks: get close, stay on your feet and poke the ball away (no pushing)

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: sharks walk, or start with one shark
• Harder: narrow the area or add sharks
• Minnows must stop the ball on the end line to be safe

Freeze Tag Dribbling

Focus: Dribbling with eyes up, changing direction, and short passes to help a teammate

Ages

U7–U8 (ages 6–8)

Players

8–14, one ball per dribbler

Time

8–10 minutes

Space

25 × 25 yards

Equipment

1 ball per player, 4 cones, Pinnies for the taggers

How it works

1. The taggers try to touch a dribbler's ball with their foot.
2. A tagged player freezes with a foot on the ball and legs wide apart.
3. A teammate unfreezes them by passing a ball through their legs and collecting it. If nobody comes within 10 seconds, do five toe taps and unfreeze yourself.
4. Change taggers every 60–90 seconds. Can the dribblers finish a round with fewer than three players frozen?

Coaching points

• Look up to spot taggers and frozen teammates
• Keep the ball close when a tagger is near; push into space when it's clear
• Rescue pass: short, on the ground, with the inside of the foot
• Taggers: work together to trap dribblers in a corner

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: one tagger, or taggers walk
• Harder: add a third tagger
• Rescue passes must use the weaker foot

Ball mastery: turns and juggling

Turning is the move U8 players use most in games. Juggling builds touch and is the easiest skill to practice at home.

Turn Challenge: Four Ways to Turn

Focus: Turning with the ball: pull-back, inside cut, outside cut and stop-turn

Ages

U7–U8 (ages 6–8)

Players

Any number, one ball each

Time

8–10 minutes

Space

20 × 15 yards

Equipment

1 ball per player, 4 cones

How it works

1. The coach names a turn and shows it once: pull-back (roll the ball back with the sole), inside cut, outside cut, or stop-turn (stop the ball with the sole, step past it and take it back the other way).
2. Players dribble to the far line, turn there, and dribble back to the start.
3. Use each turn for three or four trips, then race the clock: how many trips in 45 seconds?
4. Finish with "Coach's call": the coach shouts "Turn!" at any moment and players turn wherever they are.

Coaching points

• Slow down before the turn, then speed up out of it
• Get your body over the ball as you turn
• Turn with your right foot, then your left
• Look up after the turn to find space

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: walk through each turn first
• Harder: a partner walks toward you, and you must turn before they arrive
• Turn to escape: the coach jogs after players, who turn away when the coach gets close

Juggling Ladder: Drop, Kick, Catch

Focus: Touch, balance and timing with the laces and thighs, plus a ball mastery habit kids can practice at home

Ages

U7–U8 (ages 6–8)

Players

Any number, one ball each

Time

6–8 minutes

Space

15 × 15 yards (or a backyard)

Equipment

1 ball per player, 4 cones

How it works

1. Step 1: drop the ball onto your laces, kick it up softly and catch it.
2. Step 2: drop, kick, let it bounce once, kick again, then catch.
3. Step 3: two kicks in a row with no bounce, then catch. Step 4: switch feet between kicks. Step 5: add a thigh touch.
4. Get five in a row and you move up a step. Feet and thighs only: no heading.

Coaching points

• Toe pointed and ankle locked so the ball pops straight up
• Small, soft kicks no higher than your waist
• Watch the ball all the way onto your foot
• Stay on your toes, arms out for balance

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: let the ball bounce between every kick
• Harder: start with the ball on the ground and flick it up with your foot
• Home challenge: write down your best score each week and try to beat it

Passing drills for U8

Start with a partner, then add a defender so players learn to pass to whoever is open.

Partner Gate Passing

Focus: Passing with the inside of the foot, receiving, moving to support a teammate

Ages

U7–U10 (ages 6–10)

Players

Any even number, in pairs

Time

8–10 minutes

Space

25 × 25 yards

Equipment

1 ball per pair, 4 corner cones, 10–16 cones for 5–8 gates

How it works

1. One partner dribbles toward a gate and passes through it to the other partner, who waits on the far side.
2. The receiver controls the ball, then both look for a new gate.
3. Count points in 60 seconds. Rest, then try to beat your score.
4. No using the same gate twice in a row.

Coaching points

• Pass with the inside of the foot: ankle locked, toe up
• Receiver: line up with the gate and show for the ball
• First touch out of your feet, toward the next gate
• Talk: call your partner's name before you pass

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: wider gates and shorter passes of 3–5 yards
• Harder: two touches only, or the receiver must dribble through another gate before passing
• Add one or two defenders who try to block gates

Monkey in the Middle (3v1)

Focus: Passing to an open teammate, moving to get open, first touch

Ages

U7–U9 (ages 6–9)

Players

Groups of 4

Time

8–10 minutes

Space

10 × 10 yards per group

Equipment

1 ball per group, 4 cones per group, 1 pinnie per group

How it works

1. Three players pass the ball around inside the square while the monkey tries to touch it.
2. Passers can hold the ball for 3 seconds at most (count "one monkey, two monkeys, three monkeys").
3. Count passes in a row. Five in a row earns a point.
4. When the monkey touches the ball, the passer who lost it becomes the monkey. Swap every 60 seconds anyway so nobody is stuck in the middle.

Coaching points

• Move so there's a clear path between you and the ball, with no monkey in the way
• Stand side-on so you can see the monkey and your teammates
• Pass to the teammate the monkey isn't guarding
• Monkey: run at one passer to block a passing lane

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: make the square bigger, or the monkey can only block, not tackle
• Harder: two touches at most
• Play 4v1, then 4v2 with two monkeys in a bigger square

Shooting drills

Both games give lots of shots, with defenders arriving fast enough that players learn to shoot early.

Chase and Shoot

Focus: Dribbling at speed, shooting before the defender arrives, recovery runs

Ages

U7–U10 (ages 6–10)

Players

4–6 per goal, in two lines

Time

8–10 minutes

Space

20 × 25 yards

Equipment

Balls for the coach, 4 cones, 1 small goal

How it works

1. The coach passes a ball forward toward the goal, and the first attacker chases it.
2. As soon as the attacker touches the ball, the first defender sprints out to stop the shot.
3. If the defender wins the ball, they score by dribbling back over the start line.
4. Both players switch lines and the next pair goes right away. With more than 6 players, set up a second goal.

Coaching points

• Big touch forward when nobody is close, then smaller touches near the goal
• Shoot early, before the defender catches up
• Strike with the laces: toe down, plant foot beside the ball
• Defender: sprint to get between the ball and the goal

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: the defender waits for the attacker's second touch
• Harder: the defender starts level with the attacker
• Make it 2v1: two attackers race one defender

Halfway Line Shootout

Focus: Shooting with the laces from distance, and blocking shots as a team

Ages

U7–U8 (ages 6–8)

Players

4–8 (2v2 to 4v4)

Time

8–10 minutes

Space

20 × 20 yards, split in half

Equipment

Lots of balls, 8 cones, 2 small goals (or cone goals 4 yards wide), Pinnies

How it works

1. Players shoot at the other team's goal from anywhere in their own half. Nobody crosses the halfway line.
2. Defenders block shots with their feet and legs, never their hands. There are no goalkeepers, just as in 4v4 games.
3. Only shots below waist height count. When a ball stops in your half, it's yours: control it and shoot back. If it goes out, grab a spare ball.
4. Play 2-minute rounds and keep score. Mix up the teams between rounds.

Coaching points

• Strike with the laces: toe down, ankle locked, plant foot beside the ball
• Shoot quickly, before defenders get in the way
• Look up first and aim where the defenders aren't
• Defenders: shuffle across together so someone is always between the ball and the goal

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: bigger goals, or a shooting line closer to the goal
• Harder: two touches at most, or weaker-foot goals count double
• Each team picks one player who may cross the halfway line to follow up rebounds

1v1 and 2v1 games

Beating a defender is still the most important skill at U8. The 2v1 adds the first real decision: pass or dribble?

1v1 Channels: Dribble Over the Line

Focus: Beating a defender 1v1, changing speed and direction, defending 1v1

Ages

U7–U10 (ages 6–10)

Players

Any even number, in pairs

Time

8–10 minutes

Space

20 × 15 yards (two 10 × 15 yard channels)

Equipment

1 ball per pair, Cones to mark one channel per pair

How it works

1. The defender passes the ball to the attacker and steps forward to defend.
2. The attacker scores by dribbling over the defender's end line and stopping the ball on it.
3. If the defender wins the ball, they can score on the other end line.
4. After each point, swap roles. Play for 3 minutes, then rotate partners.

Coaching points

• Attack the defender with speed, then cut away from them
• Use a fake: drop a shoulder or step over the ball before you go
• Defender: close down fast, then slow down, get low and be patient
• Keep the ball close when the defender is near

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: make the channel wider so there's more room to go around
• Harder: narrow the channel, or give the attacker 6 seconds to score
• Score by dribbling through one of two small cone gates on the end line

2v1 to Mini Goals: Pass or Dribble?

Focus: Deciding when to pass and when to dribble, attacking as a pair, defending when outnumbered

Ages

U7–U8 (ages 6–8)

Players

Groups of 3, on as many fields as you need

Time

8–10 minutes

Space

15 × 20 yards per field

Equipment

Balls, 6 cones per field, 1 mini goal per field (or a 3-yard cone goal)

How it works

1. The defender passes to an attacker and steps out. The two attackers try to score in the mini goal.
2. The player on the ball dribbles at the defender. If the defender comes close, pass to your partner; if not, keep going and shoot.
3. If the defender wins the ball, they score by dribbling through the cone gate.
4. After each turn, rotate so a different player defends. Play nonstop for 3 minutes, then mix the groups.

Coaching points

• Ball carrier: run straight at the defender to make them choose
• Partner: stay wide and a little behind, so the pass is easy
• Pass when the defender comes to you; dribble when they don't
• Defender: slow them down and try to force an early pass

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: the defender must touch the goal after passing, before defending
• Harder: in groups of four, a second defender joins after the first pass (2v2)
• A goal scored after a pass counts double

Small-sided games for U8

Both games reward looking up and spreading out, the two habits 4v4 teams need most.

4v4 Four-Goal Game

Focus: Spreading out, looking up, switching to the open goal

Ages

U7–U8 (ages 6–8)

Players

8 (4v4); extra players rotate in

Time

12–15 minutes

Space

30 × 20 yards

Equipment

Balls, 4 cones, 4 small goals (or 8 cones for gates), Pinnies

How it works

1. Play 4v4 with no goalkeepers. Score in either of the other team's two goals.
2. Restart with a kick-in or dribble-in when the ball goes out, and from your own end line after a goal.
3. Play games of 4–5 minutes. Extra players rotate in between games, or swap one player every 2 minutes.
4. Coach from the side with one short question at a time, such as "Which goal is open?"

Coaching points

• Spread out: one player wide on each side, one in front and one behind
• Look up before you dribble and attack the goal nobody is guarding
• Defend the goal nearest the ball first
• Lost the ball? Win it back quickly

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: play 3v3, or use one goal at each end
• Harder: a goal counts double when the whole team is in the other team's half
• Add a neutral player who plays for whichever team has the ball

3v3 Gate Game: Score Through Any Gate

Focus: Looking up, spreading out and switching to the open side

Ages

U7–U8 (ages 6–8)

Players

6–8 (3v3 or 4v4)

Time

10–12 minutes

Space

25 × 25 yards

Equipment

Balls, 4 corner cones, 12 cones for 6 gates, Pinnies

How it works

1. Score by passing through a gate to a teammate on the other side, or by dribbling through it.
2. After a score, your team keeps the ball but must attack a different gate next.
3. The other team tries to win the ball and score in any gate. Nobody may stand in a gate to block it.
4. Play 3-minute games, then rotate teams.

Coaching points

• Look up: which gate has no defenders near it?
• Spread out so the player on the ball has someone to pass to
• Get to the far side of a gate before the pass
• Lost the ball? Win it back quickly

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: play 3v2, or add more gates
• Harder: only passes through a gate count, or take two gates away
• Add a neutral player who plays for the team with the ball

60-minute U8 soccer practice plan

Here's week 1 of the season plan below: a ball mastery warm-up, a dribbling game, a 1v1 game, a shooting game and a 4v4 scrimmage. Set up the area, channels and scrimmage field before practice so each change takes less than a minute.

Coaching a U7 team or a brand-new group? Shorten each block by a minute or two and swap the warm-up for Red Light, Green Light from our U6 drills.

8-week U8 soccer season plan

Keep the 60-minute shape above and change the drills each week. Every week has one focus, and games come back every two or three weeks, so players already know the rules and you can use the harder versions on each card.

In week 8, play the scrimmage in four short quarters with subs at each break, like game day. After week 8, start again at week 1 with the harder versions. If one group is ahead of the rest, use the harder version for that group only.

Tips for running U8 practice with volunteer coaches

• Use stations with parent helpers. With two helpers, run 1v1 Channels and Chase and Shoot at the same time, then swap groups. Twelve kids in one line is twelve kids waiting.
• Bring games back. Familiar games with one new rule start faster than brand-new ones; the season plan above is built that way.
• Ask, don't tell. "Where's the space?" and "Which goal is open?" get kids looking up. Then let them find the answer.
• Rotate partners and teams so the same kids aren't always together, and mix confident players with newer ones.
• Keep it safe and positive. Shin guards and water every session, no running or push-ups as punishment, and no shouting from the sideline during the scrimmage.

U8 game day: positions and playing time

4v4 has no goalkeepers, so every player is a field player. A simple diamond (one back, two sides, one front) gives kids a picture of spreading out without locking them into jobs. See U8 soccer positions for the diamond and box shapes.

US Soccer suggests about six players per 4v4 team (how many players are on a soccer team covers other ages) and recommends everyone takes part at least 50% of the time. 4v4 games are played in quarters, so sub every 5 minutes or at each quarter break, and rotate who starts; how many quarters are in soccer explains the format. Our guide to fair youth substitutions covers the details.

Moving up next season? Our U10 soccer drills add goalkeepers, receiving, defending and the 7v7 build-out line. Coaching younger kids too? See the U6 drills for 4 to 6 year olds.