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Practice games

Square Swap

Both dribble inside a small square and try to tap the other ball out while keeping your own.

At home 5 min 2 players Garden Park With a grown-up With brothers, sisters or friends 2016 to 2019

Brave 1v1 Be brave

At a glance

  • Mark a square about 5 big steps across with shoes or socks. You each have a ball inside it.
  • Shout Square swap! For 30 seconds, you both try to tap the other's ball out of the square.
  • Keep your own ball in the square. Count the times your child taps your ball out, and the times they keep theirs in.
  • Progress 1: Shout Change! now and then: you both leave your ball, take the other one and carry on.
  • Progress 2: Keep the Change! calls, and touch your ball with the practice foot only.

If it's not working: Make the square bigger, about 8 big steps each way.

Square Swap: set-upGshoes1231 Square swap! 2 tap the otherball out, 3 keep your own.
  • your child
  • Ggrown-up
  • run
  • pass
  • 1in this order

A square of about five big steps, marked with shoes or socks, a ball each inside it. You shout Square swap! and you both try to tap the other's ball out of the square while keeping your own. Here your child has just tapped your ball out and still has theirs, on the far side of their body from you.

Full details: set up, how to play, tips

Set up

  • Mark a square of about 5 big steps. You each dribble a ball inside.

Garden or park. A square of about 5 big steps.

How to play

  • Shout Square swap!
  • For 30 seconds, you both try to tap the other's ball out while keeping your own.
  • Count the times your child taps your ball out, and the times they keep theirs in.

Make it easier

  • Make the square bigger, about 8 big steps each way.
  • For the first 10 seconds, the grown-up only protects their own ball.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. Shout Change! now and then: you both leave your ball, take the other one and carry on.
  2. Keep the Change! calls, and touch your ball with the practice foot only.

Three things to say

  • Keep your ball on the far side of your body and look for theirs.

Colts habit

Be brave: go for their ball.

Both feet

Keep the ball on the far foot, whichever that is.

Heads up

Look for their ball while you protect yours.

Safety: Grown-ups go at half speed, feet only, no leaning on your child.

My best

Saves and taps in 30 seconds. Last time and this time. Only ever compared with their own earlier go, never with anyone else's. Saved on this device only.