Five-year-olds learning flag football need to learn the move that wins the game: pull the flag. The game version teaches the move while they’re having fun. Skip the technique lecture. Play.

What you need: Flag belts and flags for each kid. A 20x20 yard area on grass.

Setup: All kids inside the box wearing flags. Coach outside the box.

How to run it:

  1. On “go,” every kid is both offense and defense. They run around pulling each other’s flags.
  2. When a kid loses both flags, they go to the sideline.
  3. Last kid with flags wins.
  4. Reset. Run 4 rounds, each about 90 seconds.
  5. Last round: smaller box (10x10). More chaos.

What to watch: Are they pulling or grabbing the body? Tell them: “Hand on the flag, not the shirt.” Pulling is hand to flag.

If they’re struggling: Bigger box. Slower start (walking only for first round).

If they’ve got it: Smaller box. Or two-flag rule (have to pull both flags off the same kid in one chase).