Hockey drills for 10 year olds
At 10, practice defense, passing, shooting and skating: the skills the 28 drills SSTracker opens for 10 year olds train. SSTracker keeps one home session for a 10 year old within 45 minutes and plans at most 4 home days a week, with rest days between. Why: Ages 6 to 12 are the "sampling years": high play, low deliberate practice (Côté and Vierimaa 2014).
What a 10 year old can practice at home: drills the app opens at this age, what changes in hockey this year, how long and how often, what to have at home, and a free week to start.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated November 5, 2026
SSTracker follows USA Hockey on checking: none at 12U and younger, and a checking drill is shown only from 14.
Free, no account. A week for this sport and age, kept to healthy limits.
At 10
The age at a glance
- This year
- Body checking is not part of ice hockey at 10: USA Hockey allows none at 12U and younger, and SSTracker shows no checking drill before 14. Skating, puck control, passing and shooting come first.
- Drills this year
- The last year on beginner drills only: developing drills start next year, at 11.
- Checking
- Body checking is not part of ice hockey at 10: USA Hockey allows none at 12U and younger, and SSTracker shows no checking drill before 14. Skating, puck control, passing and shooting come first.
- Gear
- Helmet with full face cage, neck guard, mouthguard and full gear on the ice. Goalies wear full goalie gear before any shot, with soft balls and slow shots first.
- At 10
- Organized sport in all: no more hours a week than the child's age (NATA), so at most 10 hours for a 10 year old, with two rest days a week.
- At home
- SSTracker keeps one home session for a 10 year old within 45 minutes and plans at most 4 home days a week, with rest days between.
28 drills
Drills for 10 year olds
Every drill here is one the app opens for 10 year olds, at the level for the age. Each page has the steps, a diagram where the setup can be drawn, three ways to make it a game and a practice log to print.
Defense
Passing
Shooting
Skating
Puck Battles
What you need at home
What you need at home at 10
27 of the 32 hockey drills for 10 year olds work at home, in a room, garage or yard. Most used: stick (16 of the 27 drills), ball or puck (9), cones (3), balls or pucks (2), floor space (2), net or board (2), pucks or balls (2), tennis ball or soft ball (2). 2 drills need nothing but space. 10 are for two, and a parent can be the partner.
- Stationary StickhandlingAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Toe and Heel TapsAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Backhand Shot BasicsAges 7 and up · 10 min
- Defensive Stance and GapAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Figure-Eight HandlesAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Forehand Pass to a WallAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Goalie Ready StanceAges 7 and up · 8 min
- Loose Puck RaceAges 7 and up · 8 min
A week to start with
A free week of hockey at home
- 1Wrist shot targets18 min
- 2Passing: Soft Catch Receiving15 min
- 3Passing: Pass Through the Gate15 min
Questions parents ask
Hockey for 10 year olds: questions and answers
What hockey drills can a 10 year old do at home?
27 of the 32 hockey drills for 10 year olds work at home, in a room, garage or yard. Most used: stick (16 of the 27 drills), ball or puck (9), cones (3), balls or pucks (2), floor space (2), net or board (2), pucks or balls (2), tennis ball or soft ball (2). 2 drills need nothing but space. 10 are for two, and a parent can be the partner.
How long should a 10 year old practice hockey?
Organized sport in all: no more hours a week than the child's age (NATA), so at most 10 hours for a 10 year old, with two rest days a week. SSTracker keeps one home session for a 10 year old within 45 minutes and plans at most 4 home days a week, with rest days between.
Is body checking allowed for a 10 year old in hockey?
Body checking is not part of ice hockey at 10: USA Hockey allows none at 12U and younger, and SSTracker shows no checking drill before 14. Skating, puck control, passing and shooting come first.
What gear does a 10 year old need for hockey?
Helmet with full face cage, neck guard, mouthguard and full gear on the ice. Goalies wear full goalie gear before any shot, with soft balls and slow shots first.
What changes in hockey at 10?
Body checking is not part of ice hockey at 10: USA Hockey allows none at 12U and younger, and SSTracker shows no checking drill before 14. Skating, puck control, passing and shooting come first. The last year on beginner drills only: developing drills start next year, at 11.
Free for families and teams
Turn this into your child's week
Pick the days and minutes you have and see a hockey week for 10 year olds, kept to healthy limits for the age, with no account. A free account saves it and shows progress against your child's own start. Coaches can send the same drills to the whole team as homework.
30 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free
Does your child's coach know about this?
An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.