Game version
Sleepy monster: the grown-up moves slowly and taps only the ball, never you. You tiptoe and dribble away. Swap who is the monster.
Sleepy Monster Dribble
The grown-up is a slow, sleepy monster who tries to tap the ball with a foot. The child dribbles away and keeps the ball close. Only the ball is tapped, never the child.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth soccer coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Your child dribbles around the yard.
- Ages
- 4 to 6
- Time
- 3 min
- Players
- Just you
- Space
- Yard or field
- Bring
- Size 3 soccer ball
- Level · skill
- Beginner · Dribbling
The steps
How it works
- Your child dribbles around the yard.
- You are a sleepy monster: walk slowly after the ball and try to tap it with your foot.
- If you tap it, roar and fall asleep; your child wakes you by dribbling around you.
- Play short rounds of about 30 seconds with a rest between.
Coaching point
Praise the try: “You turned away from the monster!”
Safety: The grown-up walks and only taps the ball, never the child. Play on grass or a soft, flat, clear space with nothing to trip on. Stop for a drink and a rest whenever they want one.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Story
You are a mouse sneaking past a sleepy monster with your cheese.
Practice makes progress
Print it now, or save it free
Free for families and teams
Save this drill to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free soccer week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.
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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.