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Practice games

Kids Make the Rules

Each team suggests a rule, everyone votes with their feet, and rules stack up through the session.

Game 22 min 8 to 12 players Half pitch Cage 2016 to 2018

Colts Street Football Leading Lift each other

Kids Make the Rules: set-up 20 m by 25 mrulesC

One of two pitches; the coach holds up the never-change rules card, then each team adds one rule of its own and everyone votes.

Set up

  • Mark two pitches side by side.
  • Hold up the card with the never-change rules: no heading, no slide tackles, nobody out, be kind.
  • Split children into 4 teams by random bib draw.

8 to 12 children. Two pitches of about 25 m by 20 m.

How to play

  • Each team suggests one new rule in 1 minute (for example you can score in either goal, or goals from outside a line count double).
  • Everyone votes by standing next to the rule they want most.
  • The chosen rule is played for 5 minutes on both pitches.
  • At the end, children vote keep, bin or tweak.
  • Play the next rule. Rules that are kept can stack up over the session.

Keeping everyone moving

Suggesting and voting takes under 2 minutes. Both pitches play at once. If a rule creates waiting or leaves someone out, it goes straight in the bin.

Make it easier

  • The coach offers a menu of 3 rules to choose from.
  • Only one new rule at a time.

Make it harder

  • Stack up to 3 rules at once.
  • Children must explain why their rule makes the game better.

Three things to say

  • Children suggesting rules that keep everyone involved.
  • Children adapting their play to new rules.
  • Children listening to others' ideas.

Words that work: "Brave idea!", "Great work sticking with a hard rule!", "Nice, you listened to your teammate's idea!"

Colts habit

A different child presents their team's rule each round.

Both feet

The coach can suggest other foot only for 1 minute as a rule.

Heads up

Children must check which rule is on before kick-off.

For your birth year

Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.

2020 to 2021
Not the target group. If used, 2 simple rule choices from the coach.
2018 to 2019
1 rule per round, menu optional.
2016 to 2017
Children make their own rules and explain why.

Safety: The never-change rules are fixed. The coach can veto any rule that is unsafe or leaves someone out.

Keeping score: Each child remembers the best rule they invented and tries to invent a better one next time.