In order to make practices run smoothly and be fun, it is important for us to have a basic understanding of the intellectual, emotional and physical developmental stage of the players we are coaching. Here are some typical characteristics of the Under 6 player.

• Focused on themselves – reality to them is based on what they see and feel
• Unable to see the world from another’s perspective 
• Everything is in the here and now
• Cooling systems are less efficient - need frequent water breaks 
• Enjoy playing, not watching. Every player should have a ball in practice
• Limited attention span - keep directions concise and to the point
• Effort is performance – if they try hard, they are doing well
• Active imaginations – utilize their imagination in activities, and they will love practice!
• Look for adult approval – be encouraging when they say “Coach, look what I can do!”
• Unable to think abstractly – spatial relationships are a mystery 
• Typically have 2 speeds -- extremely fast and stopped
• Usually unaware of game scores – keep it that way

Here are some good principles to follow:

• Keep practices and matches fun. Play “games” that cause kids to learn skills, not “drills.” If practice is fun, the kids will want to attend. If it is not fun, their parents will sometimes have to force them to attend and a potential star may drop out.
• Maximize touches on the ball per player in practice. Avoid lines – the kids won’t behave well while waiting for their turn to play the ball.
• Minimize lecturing – they have very short attention spans. You have maybe ten seconds to make your point.
• Play lots of small-sided games. 3v3 is ideal for this age. Why doesn’t 7v7 or 11v11 work at this age? Imagine putting 14 or 22 six-year-olds on the field to share one toy. When Billie finally gets the ball, will he pass it? No, because he knows he won’t get it back! And shy Freddie may play a whole game and get only two touches on the ball.
• Concentrate on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. You will develop more skilful players this way and win more games in the process. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but you will get frustrated if you try to force it. Do not let anyone on your sideline yell, “Pass the ball!” during games.
• Don’t keep standings or statistics. The kids will be having fun playing something else an hour after the game, win or lose. Only the parents and coaches will still be replaying the goals and mistakes in their minds the next day!