Most young kids try to catch the ball against their chest. The football bounces off. The right move is hands out front, thumbs together, eyes on the ball. Cue: See, Reach, Squeeze, Tuck.
What you need: A foam football. Open grass.
Setup: Kid stands 10 feet from you. Both hands ready in front of the chest.
How to run it:
- Cue: See, Reach, Squeeze, Tuck.
- Throw a soft underhand pass.
- Kid extends both hands forward, thumbs together for high catches (above chest), pinkies together for low catches (below waist).
- Squeeze the ball when it hits the hands. Pull (tuck) it tight to the chest.
- Do 10 reps. Mix high and low throws.
What to watch: Are the hands meeting the ball, or is the chest meeting the ball? Hands out front. The chest is the last resort.
If they’re struggling: Move closer. Use a softer ball. Throw lower so the ball is at chest height.
If they’ve got it: Move back to 15 feet. Add side-to-side throws so they have to step.