Beat Me Home
You dribble towards a shoe goal and your child races past you to get home first, then stops you scoring.
You dribble from the sock towards the shoe goal; your child races past you, touches home, then turns to stop you scoring.
Set up
- Make a small goal with two shoes. That is home.
- Put a sock eight big steps from the goal.
- Stand beside your child at the sock, facing the goal. You have the ball.
Garden or park. About ten big steps of space.
How to play
- Say Go! and dribble slowly towards the goal.
- Your child races past you and touches a shoe with their foot.
- Then they turn, face the ball, and try to stop you scoring.
- Five goes, then swap: your child dribbles and you race home.
Make it easier
- Start closer to the goal, five big steps away.
- You dribble at walking pace.
Make it harder, step by step
- Your child starts one big step behind you.
- One step behind, and you may shoot as soon as they touch the shoe.
Three things to say
- Run the quickest way home, not at the ball.
- Touch home, then turn and face the ball.
- Side-on, small steps, then win it.
Words that work: "You beat me home!", "Great race!", "Brilliant stop!"
Colts habit
Work hard: race home every time, even when you're tired.
Both feet
Win the ball with either foot, then dribble it away with the other.
Heads up
Look over your shoulder to see where the ball is as you run.
For your birth year
Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.
- 2020 to 2021
- Walk with the ball. Your child races home and stands in the goal to stop it.
- 2018 to 2019
- Start six big steps from the goal and dribble at walking pace.
- 2016 to 2017
- Start eight big steps out, and your child starts one step behind you.
Safety: Race side by side, never across each other. Grown-ups go gently: no barging.
My best
Goals stopped out of 5. Last time and this time. Only ever compared with your own earlier go, never with anyone else. Saved on this device only.