Soccer shooting drills for kids
The best soccer shooting drills give every player many shots, from a ball that is moving, with something to decide. This page lists ours, from a first laces drill to finishing from a cross.
Young players love to shoot, which makes it tempting to line them up at one goal. Two small goals and groups of three or four give many more shots in the same time.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
How to strike the ball
- Look at the goal, then look at the ball.
- Standing foot beside the ball, pointing where you aim.
- Toe down and ankle locked: strike with the laces through the middle of the ball.
- Head and chest over the ball, so the shot stays low.
- Close to goal, a side-foot pass into the corner is the best shot.
What to teach at each age
- U6 and U8: small goals and no goalkeeper. Learn the laces.
- U10: shots on the move, with goalkeepers taking turns.
- U12: one-touch finishes from lay-offs, cutbacks and low crosses.
- Every age: follow the shot.
Shooting and finishing drills
- Clean Your RoomThe first kicking game: laces, low and lots of them. U6 to U8.
- Dribble and shootDribble through a gate and shoot, in short lanes. U6 to U10.
- Lay-off and shootPass in, run on and strike it first time. U8 to U12.
- Follow the shotShoot, keep running and finish the rebound. U8 to U12.
- World Cup shooting gamePairs against pairs at one goal, nobody sitting out. U8 to U12.
- 2v1 to goalBeat one defender with a teammate and finish. U8 to U12.
- 3v2 to goalFind the free attacker quickly. U10 to U12.
- Crossing and finishingNear post, far post and a low ball across. U10 to U12.
Example: 2v1 to goal
In 2v1 to goal, two attackers start with the ball and try to score past one defender, and a goalkeeper from U10. It trains the main decision of attacking with an extra player: dribble at the defender, then pass if they come to you or keep going if they do not. See the full drill.
Keeping shooting practice safe
- No goalkeepers at U6 and U8. Use small goals.
- From U10, shoot from a sensible distance, and never from point-blank range at a young goalkeeper.
- Nobody stands behind the goal collecting balls while others shoot.
- Crosses stay low. There is no heading at age 10 and under.
Questions about shooting drills
How do I teach my child to shoot a soccer ball with power?
Technique first: laces, locked ankle, standing foot beside the ball and body over it. Power comes from a clean strike and from growing, not from swinging harder.
What is a good shooting drill for U8?
Dribble and shoot in two or three short lanes at small goals. Every child shoots every twenty seconds and fetches their own ball.
How do I avoid long lines in shooting drills?
Use more goals. Two cones make a goal. Three players per goal means everyone is shooting, serving or fetching.
Lessons to go with these drills
- Watch What Happens After the Shot (7v7 lesson)A wide midfielder reads a loose rebound or a goalkeeper’s controlled ball before deciding whether to approach or recover.
- Arrive at the Far Post (Futsal lesson)Time support across goal, and keep another option when that route is covered.
- Look Behind the Defenders (11v11 lesson)Find the teammate, then check the route. A cut-back is useful only when that pass is there.
Keep reading
- Soccer drills to do at homeSolo and parent-and-child drills for a yard, a driveway or a wall
- Soccer passing drills for kidsPassing drills in teaching order: pairs, triangles, give-and-go and rondos
- Soccer dribbling drills for kidsBall mastery, ball-each games, turns and 1v1 for every age
- First touch soccer drills for kidsReceiving drills: back foot, touch into space, turning and high balls
- Soccer goalkeeper drills for kidsSet position, catching, angles and distribution for U10 and U12, with soft service
- Striker in soccerThe player who finishes chances
- Cutback (soccer term)A pass pulled back from the end line
- Cross (soccer term)A pass from wide into the goal area
- All soccer drills for kids46 soccer drills and practice games for U6 to U12, each with a setup diagram, coaching points and the lesson it trains
- Soccer practice plans for kids12 ready-to-use soccer practice plans for U6, U8, U10 and U12, each with a clock table, equipment list and linked drills
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.