Shrinking Goals

An introductory kicking activity that focuses on kicking accuracy.
Set up
Set up agility poles as goals, starting very wide. On each side of the goals, ~5-10 meters away, place enough flat markers per child. Divide the children into two teams, half on either side. Give one team a soccer ball per child. The children with soccer balls find a marker, and get ready to kick, while the children on the other team stand at their markers on the other side of the goals, ready to collect.
How to play
Step 1:
- The team with the balls kicks, aiming to get within the goal
- The team on the other side collects the balls as they roll over to their side
Step 2:
- The other team has a turn kicking for the goal
Step 3:
- Narrow the goals by bringing the poles in and then repeat
- Keep narrowing the goals until you are left with only one pole and everyone tries to hit the pole
Variations
Make it easier
- Start with even wider goals, only narrowing slightly with each round
- If a child is not having success, allow them to take a step closer with each attempt
Make it harder
- Make each round much harder than the last! Narrowing the goals each round will force the child to develop greater accuracy
- Start the children from further away
- Educator stands in the goals as the 'Goalie'
- Children dribble the ball back to their marker
Activity information
Age: Three year olds, Kindergarten, Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Participants: 2
+
Equipment: Soccer balls, Flat markers, Agility poles
Duration: 10 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Skill teaching
To teach soccer kicking, use the following teaching cues;
- Eyes on the ball
- Kicking foot like a penguin (twist it outwards)
- Step, swing, and kick
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
- Have a variety of different balls available if this suits your group
- Let children have multiple attempts at each goal size before shrinking
- Have the educator stand in the goals and the children have to aim for them!