Exercise

Kicking Games for Beginner PE: Partner and Target Activities

By Dave Joisil (Mr. J) · Certified Health and Physical Education teacher

Updated

Practice controlled kicks from a stationary ball with wide gates, safe retrieval rules and a partner sending record, without tournament or shooting contests.

Beginner kicking games can start with a stationary soft ball and a wide floor-level target. Teach a comfortable supporting-foot position beside the ball, a small backward swing of the kicking leg, contact toward the target, and a controlled follow-through. Start without a run-up.

This is an evergreen ball-skill lesson, not a soccer tournament or a World Cup video activity. Use an open, nonslip surface, school-approved soft balls, and flat or stable markers. Keep people out of the target area and follow individual movement plans. No heading, diving, or force contests are needed.

First rehearsal: Find the supporting foot

Place a ball at a personal practice spot. Show the non-kicking foot comfortably beside it rather than directly behind it. Demonstrate a gentle kick with the laces or instep area, then finish balanced enough to reset. Use only the force suitable for the area and task.

Let children try both sides if comfortable without requiring equal results. If someone steps on the ball, stop and re-demonstrate the supporting foot beside it. If the ball keeps escaping, reduce the swing and use a stationary restart before adding another instruction.

Game one: Open gate delivery

Set up parallel kicking lanes, each ending in a wide gate made from two markers. Each child sends one stationary ball through the gate, then waits behind the kicking line. Nobody guards the gate or chases the ball while another lane remains active.

Close all lanes for retrieval and give a clear spoken and visible signal. Walk to collect and return outside the kicking routes. Make the gate wider or closer when the task becomes frustrating. The objective is a controlled send, not knocking a person or object over.

Game two: Partner stop and return

Use this only after learners understand lane boundaries and gentle sending. Partners stand at opposite ends of their own lane with enough distance to see and respond to the ball. One sends a slow ground ball; the receiver stops it using an agreed safe method, then both reset before returning it.

Do not begin with continuous passing or opponents. If receiving is too unpredictable, return to the empty gate task. A larger soft ball or shorter distance may help, but check equipment suitability rather than assuming that larger always means easier.

Copy-and-print: Kick, stop, reset record

  • Task: empty gate / gentle partner send. Ball choice: ______.
  • Supporting foot beside ball: noticed / model again / adapted task ______.
  • Send stays along ground within lane: ______. Comfortable force cue: ______.
  • Receiver's agreed stop method and readiness signal: ______.
  • Retrieval rule for this task: ______. Empty space beyond gate: ______.
  • Change only one: gate width / distance / ball / demonstration. Why: ______.

Participation choices

Some learners need a different contact method or sending tool agreed with a specialist. Preserve the aim of directing an object where appropriate and describe the actual action; a hand push or ramp-assisted roll is not literally a kick. Include children in the same activity structure rather than assigning a permanent scorekeeper role.

Pause for pain, fatigue, or unsafe chasing. When several balls leave their lanes, stop the group and redesign the layout. Removing a child for missing a gate does not teach ball control.

For an earlier floor-level task, see preschool ball rolling. The separate World Cup activity page is themed movement content, not the technique owner for this lesson. No running video is presented as kicking instruction.

Setup and contact cues are informed by PDST fundamental movement skill cue posters and Scoilnet's kicking resource. That source also discusses power development; these original beginner games deliberately prioritize controlled force for their space and targets rather than copying a maximum-force task.