Abstract
The present article examines the specifics of organizing and conducting standardized exercises in teaching 5–6 year old children the technique of playing football. A brief overview of standardized exercises traditionally used to teach young football players ball-handling techniques is presented. Recommendations are given on organizing and conducting standardized exercises for teaching football techniques in sessions for 5–6 year olds, including determining the duration of exercises, requirements for actions, and parameters of players’ actions in the exercises.
Introduction
Standardized exercises play an important role in teaching young children the fundamental techniques of football. These exercises regulate players’ actions with the ball and do not involve improvisation. The purpose is to form and reinforce correct structures of movement when performing passes, dribbling, and shots.
Main Considerations
At ages 5–6, successful teaching depends on proper planning and structuring of standardized exercises. Children of this age group have limited ability to maintain focus for long periods, so exercises should vary in duration and complexity throughout the session. A minimum of half the session time should be dedicated to performing standardized exercises.
Exercise Duration
– Sessions of ~45 minutes: 7–8 minutes for each standardized exercise.
– Sessions of 60 minutes: 10–15 minutes per exercise.
Longer tasks may cause fatigue or loss of interest, so short, focused repetitions provide the best results.
Repetition Recommendations
To ensure that young players acquire key movement patterns, each standardized exercise should be repeated enough times for the players to achieve stable execution. For most exercises at ages 5–6, optimal repetition ranges between 5 and 8 cycles.
Planning of Standardized Exercises
Planning must take into account children’s physical and psychological readiness. For younger players, exercises requiring long-distance dribbling (over 30 meters) are not recommended. Instead, exercises should emphasize speed, accuracy, and small-movement control.
Table 1. Example Planning for Standardized Exercises (45-Minute Sessions)
| Week | Duration per Exercise | Exercise Variant |
| 1 | 5–6 min | Variant A |
| 2 | 5–6 min | Variant B |
| 3 | 5–6 min | Variant A |
| 4 | 5–6 min | Variant B |
| 5 | 5–6 min | Variant A |
| 6 | 5–6 min | Variant B |
Table 2. Example Planning for Standardized Exercises (60-Minute Sessions)
| Week | Duration per Exercise | Exercise Variants |
| 1 | 10–12 min | A + B |
| 2 | 10–12 min | B + C |
| 3 | 10–12 min | A + C |
| 4 | 10–12 min | B + C |
| 5 | 10–12 min | A + B |
| 6 | 10–12 min | B + C |
