Course Overview
Whether you’re new to coaching children or just looking for fresh ideas, our Volunteer Coaching Toolkit can support you in planning and delivering your sessions.
Our Coaching Children Activity Cards offer a wide range of activity ideas to use in your sessions. From fundamental movement skills to more advanced game-based activities, there are options suitable for all ages and abilities.
Explore some examples below and enrol in our Volunteer Coaching Toolkit to access more activities like this!
This is a fun activity in which the children apply their movement skills to get them to the game.
How to play?
Each child holds a ball, which is their steering wheel. Children then follow the instructions of the coach or another child. The car is:
- At a red light (children stop).
- At an amber/orange light (children run on the spot).
- At a green light (children run around).
- At a free parking stop (children lie on the floor).
- Picking up a passenger (children get a partner).
- Has gone onto the motorway (children move faster).
- Is stuck in a traffic jam (children all line up one behind the othero).
Variations
Add obstacle from equipment that the children must dodge as well as the other players. For example, a gymnastics mat might be a river.
Questions to ask children
- What else could we add?
- How do you know where the other cars are?
- How did you make sure everyone was involved?
A fun team game developing passing skills. Equipment: Bibs, soft ball/basketball/football/rugby ball.
How to play?
- Split into two teams (between two and four players) per team. One ball per game.
- Attacking players must pass the ball and move into space. Aim is to pass to a player in their end zone.
- Defending team look to gain possession.
- Once a team has scored, the other team passes the ball from behind the end zone to restart the game.
Variations
- Add more players.
- Chane the space.
- Add a dribble/move with the ball.
- Change the type of ball.
- Change movement of players.
- Change size of the end zone.
Questions to ask children
- How did you move when you didn't have the ball?
- When defending where did you stand, move to?
- Where were you looking when you had the ball?
- How did you protect the ball?
Develop strategy, decision making and movement skills to this popular game.
Equipment: Hoops (9 per game) and bibs or bean bags (2 sets of different colours per game).
How to play?
- Have as many players active at once, lots of small games. Players can play 1v1 or 2v2.
- Place nine hoops in the middle of the playing area (set out three by three like noughts and crosses).
- Each team has either a pile of coloured bibs or been bags at either end of the playing area.
- Player from each team must pick up a bib and run to place it in one of the empty hoops. If playing individually they run back to get another bib, if playing in a team they high five their partner who picks up a bib and runs to place their bib in an empty hoop until one team has three in a row.
Variations
- Instead of hoops you could use cones or tape.
- Increase the distance from the starting point to the game board.
- Change the movement e.g. hopping, skipping.
- Add a football/basketball dribble.
Questions to ask children
- How did you decide which hoop to place your bib?
- How aware of the other team were you?
- What tactics will you use next time?