Ways You Can Improve Kids’ Skills With Cones And Markers
While football for kids is primarily about participation and having fun with their teammates, improving their skills both individually and as a team to help them win matches and create a sense of achievement is also crucial. To do this, children need to train, which helps them get better and prepares them for their matches.
Using cones and markers is an excellent way to teach young players the fundamentals of football. So here we’ll explore some different ways you can use this cheap and effective training equipment to help kids improve their skills.
Dribbling Drills
Creating a mini maze with your cones is a fun and exciting way to improve a child’s dribbling skills.
Set this up by placing the cones in a zigzag pattern and ask the kids to dribble the ball through the maze. This not only enhances their ball control but it should also help them understand how to manoeuvre around obstacles, which they’ll most certainly put to good use on the field.
Passing Practice
Set up markers and use them as targets for passing practice. Kids can aim their passes at these markers, improving both the accuracy and distance control of their passing.
You can also use different colours to designate specific passing targets, making it more fun to ensure they don’t get bored quickly!
Shooting Skills
When it comes to shooting, practice really does make perfect. So help you kids practice their shooting accuracy by placing the markers in certain spots in the goal and encouraging them to knock them over.
Fitness Exercises
Being fit is a crucial aspect of football and those who struggle with fitness may find themselves underperforming on the pitch. So to help get children in shape, use cones to create some fitness exercises.
Try laying some cones a few metres apart and challenge your kids to run between the cones for specified periods of times which should get their blood pumping in no time.
Passing Accuracy
Set up cones at long distances, then have kids pass the ball to hit them. Keep a tally of who hits the cones the most or challenge them to see who can hit it first.
This exercise encourages long-range passing accuracy and control while adding an element of competition which is known to benefit kids and helps push them.
Cone Circles
Create circles with cones and have kids pass the ball in a piggy in the middle-type game. This encourages teamwork and communication as they work together to maintain possession, which will help them immensely when they take to the field.
Small Games
Use the cones to mark out a miniature-sized pitch they can use to play in. Using a smaller area helps improve close control and encourages intricate passing, meaning they’ll be well prepared once they return to a regular-sized pitch.
Mini Tournaments
Organise mini tournaments where kids can compete in various challenges involving markers. This could be some sort of race or if you want to get creative you should be able to come up with something fun and exciting.
This adds an element of competition and fun, motivating them to put their skills to the test.
Benefits Of Improving Skills
Whether you’re a coach or parent, helping kids to improve their football skills can reap a multitude of benefits that extend way beyond the playing field.
As children develop and enhance their abilities in sports, they gain an important boost in confidence and self-esteem. Moreover, the sense of achievement that comes with mastering new skills and winning football matches with their teammates helps build bonds and rates a sense of camaraderie. Often, lifelong friendships are made through football.
Even better, this newfound confidence can extend to other aspects of their lives, helping them approach challenges with a positive mindset. By improving their sporting skills, children are empowered in a number of ways, enriching their lives and teaching them valuable life lessons.
So those are just some of the things you can do with cones and markers to help improve children’s football skills. Obviously there are many more so if you want to get creative you could come up with dozens of things to do, but hopefully this can start you off.
Incorporating cones and markers into football training for kids is a cheap and effective way to make learning the sport enjoyable and exciting. It teaches essential skills while also ensuring that young players remain engaged and motivated.