Soccer drills for 7 year olds (U7 and U8)
What a 7 year old can practice at home: drills the app opens at this age, games to make them fun, how long and how often, and what US Soccer's rules say for the age group.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth soccer coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Most 7 year olds play in U7 or U8: US Soccer groups players by birth year.
At 7
The age at a glance
- Games
- At U7 and U8, US Soccer's games are 4v4. US Soccer's match formats grow with age to keep touches high: 4v4 for U8 and under, 7v7 for U9 and U10, 9v9 for U11 and U12, 11v11 from U13.
- Heading
- A 7 year old plays in U7 or U8, where US Soccer allows no heading in practice or games. SSTracker's home plans include no heading before 14.
- Positions
- The research SSTracker's soccer plans follow: children of 7 to 10 get one shared, play-like plan, with positions only as games and goalkeeping offered to everyone.
- How long
- SSTracker keeps one home session for a 7 year old within 30 minutes and plans at most 3 training days a week.
34 drills
Drills for 7 year olds
Every drill here is one the app opens for 7 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.
Defending
Dribbling
Passing & Receiving
Shooting
Fitness
A week to start with
A free week of soccer at home
- 1Ball mastery moves + Peek and shout24 min
- 2Wall passing + Ball mastery moves24 min
- 3First touch + Wall passing24 min
Questions parents ask
Soccer for 7 year olds: questions and answers
How long should a 7 year old practice soccer at home?
SSTracker keeps one home session for a 7 year old within 30 minutes and plans at most 3 training days a week. Organized sport should total no more hours a week than the child's age in years, with two rest days a week. (NATA youth sport specialization recommendations.)
Can 7 year olds head the ball?
A 7 year old plays in U7 or U8, where US Soccer allows no heading in practice or games. SSTracker's home plans include no heading before 14.
What size games do 7 year olds play?
At U7 and U8, US Soccer's games are 4v4. US Soccer's match formats grow with age to keep touches high: 4v4 for U8 and under, 7v7 for U9 and U10, 9v9 for U11 and U12, 11v11 from U13.
Should a 7 year old play one position?
The research SSTracker's soccer plans follow: children of 7 to 10 get one shared, play-like plan, with positions only as games and goalkeeping offered to everyone.
Free for families and teams
Save this plan to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free soccer week for 7 year olds opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits for the age, with progress your child sees against their own start. Coaches can send the same drills to the whole team as homework.
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