Soccer Drills for 10 Year Olds: A Practical Parent Guide

Soccer drills for 10 year olds can start with four activities: gate dribbling, partner passing, target shooting and games against defenders. Start with a clear ball task, then introduce an opponent so girls and boys can practise choosing their next move. Each activity below gives you a clear setup and scoring method, with adjustments you can make for your child. For parents in Canada, connect youth soccer coaching with supervised striking practice using Curl Master One, sold by The Giro X. Adjust the space to suit your child's current control. Keep the setup and scoring simple, even if you never played.

Which Dribbling Drill Makes a Good Starting Point?

Start with gate dribbling, asking your child to carry the ball through an opening before choosing another route. As a suggested setup, arrange pairs of flat markers across a clear area, leaving room to turn between them. Make each gate wide enough for a controlled dribble rather than a rushed squeeze. Award a point when the player and ball travel through together, then continue towards another gate. If the ball leaves the area, bring it back inside and begin again without resetting the score.

Adjust gate dribbling by widening openings when your child wants more room, or spreading the gates farther apart to allow a longer approach. Try the cue, “Keep the ball where you can reach it for your next turn.” Once the route feels familiar, become a walking defender who blocks a gate without tackling. Your child must then choose another opening. In my opinion, this gives looking up a useful purpose because the player has an available route to find before the next touch.

How Can Partners Practise Passing and First Touch?

Use partner passing through a gate, with the receiver moving the ball into space before returning it. For a suggested setup, stand a comfortable passing distance apart and place a wide gate between you. Add a marker beside each player to show where the receiving touch could travel. Pass along the ground through the centre, receive towards the side marker and return the ball when ready. Count a shared point whenever the pass clears the gate and the receiver keeps the ball within reach.

Make partner passing easier by bringing the players closer together or widening the gate before changing the distance. Ask, “Where will your next pass go?” so the receiving touch has a destination. When both partners are comfortable, let the passer point towards an available side while the ball travels. The receiver can then choose that space before passing back. A parent can take the partner role at home, following the same task and letting the child explain the scoring.

What Should Your Child Aim for When Shooting?

Give target shooting a visible opening and a clear starting position. Set a pair of cones apart in a clear practice area, with an approach marker a comfortable distance away. Begin with a stationary ball and ask your child to choose where the shot should travel before striking. Count a point when the ball passes between the cones. Pause shooting before retrieving balls, then return to the starting position. With a partner, alternate attempts so each player has time to prepare and choose a target.

Adjust target shooting by widening the opening or moving the starting position closer when your child wants an easier version. To change the task, introduce a gentle touch forward before the shot, keeping the ball within reach. Ask the coach for a contact cue your daughter or son already understands, then use that wording at home. In my opinion, giving the player a clear destination before adding another technical instruction keeps the purpose of the attempt easy to explain.

How Do Defenders Turn Drills Into Decisions?

Try an attacker against a defender, with a scoring gate at each end of a marked area. The attacker begins with the ball and tries to dribble through the far gate under control. If the defender gains possession, that player attacks the other gate. Swap starting roles after a goal or when the ball leaves the area. Widen the space to offer more routes, and adjust it again after watching how the players use it. Give girls and boys the same opportunity to try each role.

For an end zone game, divide players into teams and mark a receiving zone at each end of the field. Score by receiving a teammate's pass inside the attacking zone while keeping possession. After a score, the other team starts with the ball; after it leaves the field, restart with a ground pass from the boundary. With uneven attendance, invite a supporting player to join whichever team has possession. Rotate that responsibility so different children can practise finding a passing option.

Where Does Home Striking Practice Fit?

Fit home striking practice around team commitments and carry over a familiar instruction from the coach. For families practising in Canada, choose activities according to the space available and check an indoor facility's rules before setting up ball work. Agree on the task with your child before starting, including what counts as a point and when to change roles. For girls' and boys' soccer alike, adjust the challenge to the child's current control, giving each player opportunities to try the activities described here.

Curl Master One spins a standard ball at controlled speeds and provides immediate feedback through the feel of the strike. It has six speed settings and requires no app or subscription. In my opinion, getting Curl Master One alongside coaching gives contact practice between sessions a defined focus. Parents do not need prior soccer knowledge to help their child use it. Get one for supervised home striking practice, keep an adult nearby for your ten year old, and carry a familiar contact cue from the coach into each attempt.

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Choose Curl Master One for supervised soccer striking practice at home.

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