Snake in the Grass Soccer Game
Attackers Defenders Neutral Goalkeeper Pass Run Dribble Shot
Snake in the Grass is a soccer warm-up game for U5 to U8 players that develops the raw movement skills young athletes need before ball work even matters: balance, coordination, and quick changes of direction. Two kids become snakes, slithering on their stomachs while everyone else dodges, jumps, and cuts to stay untouched. It takes seconds to explain and delivers giggles and agility work in equal measure.
Find similar exercises in our warm-ups drills collection or filter by age with drills for U7 teams.
Setup
- Mark a small grid about 15×15 yards.
- Bring all players inside the grid; no balls needed.
- Pick two players to be the snakes and have them lie on their stomachs.
- Every other player starts with one hand touching a snake.
How It Works
- When the coach yells the magic words, the runners scatter.
- The snakes slither on their stomachs and try to touch the runners.
- Any runner touched by a snake drops down and becomes a snake too.
- The snake pit grows until every player has been turned into a snake.
- Restart with two new snakes so different kids get the starring role.
Coaching Points
- Encourage every escape move you see: running, jumping, cutting, spinning, and sudden stops.
- Praise players who scan the ground and change direction early instead of running blind.
- Keep rounds short and restarts fast so activity stays high.
- Sell the theme; hissing snakes and dramatic escapes keep this age group hooked.
Variations
- Give each runner a ball to dribble once movement skills are solid.
- Make the snakes crawl on all fours to speed the game up for older groups.
- Award the last two survivors the snake roles for the next round.