Juggling Challenge

Set-up

Open space (at least 3m x 3m). One ball per player. No equipment needed. Can be done indoors (living room, garage) or outdoors.

What you need

• 1 soccer ball

The ground: 10 × 10 ft (about 3 × 3 m). One child can run it alone in a backyard. The space and equipment check lists every drill that fits the ground you have.

How to run it

1. Set up. One ball and space to move a couple of steps. A softer or slightly under-inflated ball makes this far easier to start.
2. One and catch. Drop the ball, one touch, then catch it. Just one. Do not start with continuous juggling.
3. Foot shape. Toe up slightly, ankle locked, contact with the laces. A floppy foot is why it flies sideways.
4. Two and catch. Move to two touches only when one is genuinely comfortable.
5. Straight up. The ball should go up over their own toes, not out in front. Chasing it is wasted repetitions.
6. Add the thigh. A flat thigh is a bigger surface than a foot and is often easier. Cushion and pop it back up.
7. Go for a record. Count out loud together and write the best down. If frustration rises, drop back a level.

Coaching points

• Relaxed ankle and small touches upward, roughly to waist height. Firing it up to head height gives them longer to get it wrong, and the count collapses.
• Use all surfaces — feet, thighs and head. A player who only ever juggles on their strong foot has built a party trick; the drill is worth doing because it forces the awkward surfaces.
• Stay balanced over the ball rather than chasing it around the garden. If they are moving more than a step between touches, the touches are too hard and the drill has become a rescue mission.
• Count out loud and write the record down. Juggling is the drill children most reliably do unsupervised, and a number to beat is the entire reason they come back to it.

What to watch: Slight backspin on the ball. Soft contact (cushion). Ankle locked with toe pointed up slightly.

Common mistakes

• Kicking too hard — ball goes flying
• Pointing toes down — ball shoots forward instead of up
• Kicking with side of foot — use laces/top of foot
• Leaning backward — stay over the ball
• Tensing up — rigid body = poor control
• Giving up after 2-3 juggles — persistence is key
• Not using both feet — always alternate

What good looks like

A good target: 50 unbroken touches alternating feet, thigh and head.

• Can keep ball up for 10+ juggles using both feet
• Alternating feet without defaulting to dominant side
• Ball stays within arm's reach (controlled, not wild)
• Can restart immediately after ball drops
• Progressive improvement tracked over days/weeks

Progressions and variations

Making it harder

• Level 1: Drop-bounce-kick, catch. Repeat (each foot)
• Level 2: Drop-bounce-kick-kick, catch (two kicks)
• Level 3: Drop-kick-kick-kick, catch (no bounce, 3 juggles)
• Level 4: Keep up — how many without bounce? Beat your record
• Level 5: Alternate feet strictly — no same-foot doubles
• Level 6: Add thigh juggles into the sequence
• Level 7: Juggle while walking forward
• Level 8: Around the world (circle foot around ball mid-juggle)
• Level 9: Juggle with friend — pass back and forth in air

Alone, with a sibling, or in a group

• Solo: track your longest unbroken run.
• Sibling: alternate touches without the ball landing.
• Co-op: a circle, calling the next name before you play it.

For the parent running it

• Start with 'self-toss and 1 kick' before catching. Progress to 2, 3, etc. Celebrate new records! Drop the ball? Start again, no stress.
• Best drill for at-home practice — no space needed
• Keep a "juggling journal" — record daily best
• Make it a family competition — who improves most this week?
• Do it during TV commercial breaks
• YouTube "juggling tutorial" videos help show technique
• Celebrate EVERY new personal record no matter how small

Safety

• Check ceiling height if indoors
• Remove breakable objects from vicinity
• Appropriate footwear (or barefoot on grass for feel)
• Don't practice tired — leads to frustration not progress

More on training safely at home: Safety at Home.

Why it matters

Juggling develops the soft touch, ankle control, and foot-ball relationship that underpins ALL technical skills. Players who juggle well have visibly better first touches, volleys, and control in matches.