Coaching
Soccer Practice Plan Template: Free Printable PDF (Blank)
A free blank soccer practice plan template (US letter PDF): Play-Practice-Play blocks, setup boxes, a printed safety box and how to fill it in by age.
KickZone
Practical help for parents and volunteer coaches of 4–8-year-olds in rec soccer: practice plans that hold little kids’ attention, U6 and U8 rules in plain English, and team parent toolkits.
Latest guides
Coaching
Soccer Drills for 4-Year-Olds: 8 Games (With Diagrams)
8 soccer drills for 4-year-olds that are really games: short, playful, hands and feet, each with setup, time, an easier/harder version and safety.
Rules & Age Groups
Soccer Ball Size by Age: 3, 4 or 5? A Chart by Age Group
What size soccer ball each age group uses, U6 to adult, per US Youth Soccer, AYSO and state rulebooks, and why an 8-year-old may need a 3 or a 4.
Rules & Age Groups
Soccer Field Size by Age: Field & Goal Dimensions (U6-U19)
Soccer field and goal sizes for every age group, U6 to adult, from AYSO and state rulebooks, plus the goal-safety rules to follow before setting one up.
Team Parent
Team Mom Gift Ideas From the Team, by Budget (Ages 4-8)
Team mom gift ideas from a U5-U8 soccer team, by budget: thank-yous kids can make, who runs the collection, and what to skip at the field.
Coaching
U8 Soccer Practice Plan: Free 60-Minute Plan (Printable)
A minute-by-minute U8 soccer practice plan built Play-Practice-Play, with diagrams, a free one-page printable and what to confirm with your league.
Team Parent
Soccer Snack Ideas for Kids + Free Snack Schedule Template
Easy soccer snack ideas for U5-U8 teams, water vs. sports drinks, allergy and choking basics, and a free printable snack schedule template.
Soccer Parents
My Child Wants to Quit Soccer: Bad Day or Real Reason?
Ages 4-8: how to tell a bad day from a pattern, whether to finish the season, when to call the pediatrician and what to do if an adult is the problem.
Team Parent
Soccer Coach Gift Ideas From the Team, by Budget (Ages 4-8)
Soccer coach gift ideas from a U5-U8 team, by budget: gifts kids can make, how to run an optional collection, and what to skip at the field.
Coaching
U8 Soccer Drills: 10 Games for 7- and 8-Year-Olds
10 U8 soccer drills for 7- and 8-year-olds, organized like U.S. Soccer's U7-U8 guide: movement, passing, shooting, defending and 4v4, with diagrams.
Team Parent
End of Season Soccer Party Ideas for Kids + Free Certificate
Low-cost end-of-season soccer party ideas for U5-U8 teams: awards every kid gets, a free printable certificate, plus food, allergy and heat basics.
Soccer Parents
What to Bring to Soccer Practice: A Checklist for Kids 4-8
The soccer practice checklist for kids 4-8: shin guards under the socks, the right shoes, labeled water, sunscreen and what the rules say to leave home.
Coaching
Soccer Drills for 6-Year-Olds: 10 Games (With Diagrams)
10 soccer drills for 6-year-olds: both-feet dribbling, first passes, 1v1 and 2v1, and small games, each with setup, time and an easier/harder version.
Coaching
Futsal vs. Soccer: The Real Rule Differences, Explained
Futsal and soccer differ in players, ball, court size and offside. See the actual rules (FIFA) and why Spain starts young kids on futsal.
Team Parent
Soccer Team Names for Kids: Ideas by Age and Style
Team name ideas grouped by age and style for U5-U8 soccer, what to avoid (trademarks, pro team names), and a simple way to vote as a team.
Team Parent
Soccer Team Mom Duties: The Real Checklist by Season
What a soccer team mom actually does, how it differs from a team manager, and the food-allergy protocol every shared snack schedule needs before week one.
Coaching
How to Stop Bunch Ball in Youth Soccer: 5 Games That Work
Bunch ball (kids swarming around the ball) is normal at U5-U8. Here's why it happens, what doesn't fix it, and 5 games that actually spread kids out.
Coaching
12 Soccer Drills for 5-Year-Olds (With Diagrams)
12 soccer drills for 5-year-olds grouped by skill: dribbling, stopping, shooting and 1v1, each with setup, duration and an easier/harder variant.
Coaching
U6 Soccer Practice Plan: Free 45-60 Minute Plan (Printable)
A step-by-step U6 soccer practice plan with diagrams and a free printable, built around how official youth soccer guidance says this age should train.
Coaching
First-Time Youth Soccer Coach: Step by Step First Practice
New to coaching U6-U8 rec soccer? A step-by-step first practice plan, league rules to confirm first, and gear you actually need -- no experience required.
Rules & Age Groups
Youth Soccer Playing Time Rules, League by League
AYSO, U.S. Soccer and North Texas publish a 50% minimum; others don't. See what each rulebook says, and how to raise it calmly with a coach.
Rules & Age Groups
U8 Soccer Rules: Format, Field Size & More
U8 soccer field dimensions, ball size and player count by organization, plus the Florida exception: 8U travel teams play 7v7 with a keeper.
Rules & Age Groups
U6 Soccer Rules: What Changes by League
How many players, what size ball, how long the game runs and whether there's a goalkeeper at U6 — compared across US Soccer, USYS, AYSO and state rules.
Rules & Age Groups
Soccer Age Groups Explained (2026-27, with Calculator)
Find your child's 2026-27 soccer age group with our calculator, and see why USYS, AYSO and US Club now use an August 1 cutoff instead of birth year.
Rules & Age Groups
Youth Soccer Levels Explained: Rec to Premier
Rec, travel/select, premier and academy: what changes at each youth soccer level, what stays the same, and why rec is the right call at ages 4-8.
Browse by topic
Coaching
Practice plans, drills and games for 4–8-year-olds: what actually works with little kids, and how Spanish grassroots clubs do it.
Rules & Age Groups
U6 and U8 rules in plain English, how they change from league to league, and how the 2026-27 age group change affects your child.
Team Parent
Team mom and team manager toolkits: snack schedules, end-of-season ideas, coach gifts, banners and fundraising.
Soccer Parents
Your child’s first seasons: what to bring, the gear they actually need, and what to do when they don’t want to play.