Players should be shown that dribbling involves all parts of their feet (i.e., inside, outside, instep, sole, heel, toe) and then put into situations in which they are allowed to experiment. Don’t worry about fakes at this age group.  Players should be introduced to dribbling activities that expose them to changes of speed, direction, and stresses their ability to stay balanced.

• Each player must have his/her own ball. Define a playing area with cones and start with all players inside.  Have them move randomly in and out of traffic with a ball at their feet. To add some fun, call out a particular body part (foot, knee, nose, head) and have the players stop the ball with it. Have them sit on it, fall on it or run around it. The goofier, the better.

• Tap Dance: Ask players to alternate touching the ball with the bottom of both feet.  As they get the rhythm, ask them to spin around the ball while still tapping it.

• Snake Run: Simply follow the leader at the front of the line. Try to stay in the path created by this first person. Alternate leaders.

• Speed Dribble: Jog 10 yards, sprint, dribble 10 yards, pick up the ball and kick it as high as you can.

• Crab Catch: Ask half your team to sit in a defined area. They can move about on their hands, rear and feet (crablike.) The object is to kick the balls of the dribblers out of the defined area. Dribblers chase their ball and come back into the area. Change roles.

• Red light/Green Light. Players dribble randomly in free space. As the coach, give the commands Green light and Red light. The players should try to stop with their balls as soon as you say red light. Vary timing.

• Ball Exchange: Ask players to dribble in a confined place until you say “Switch.” At this point they may leave their ball and dart off to find the nearest ball. To make this activity a bit more exciting, take away one ball. This way the children will have to decide and move quickly to a nearby ball.

• Numbers Game: Ask a player to dribble in a confined area until you call a number. At this command they must leave their ball and form a group the size that you have stated. Those who don’t end up in a group the right size must form a joke penalty (i.e., 1 pushup, etc.)

• Duck, Duck, Goose: Same game except everyone has a ball and must dribble it around when picked.