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Two young boys stand next to a cone. One has a beanbag balanced on top of his head.
Session

Play Phase session: tag and stick

Are you seeking a fun activity for 4–6-year-olds? Consider giving "tag and stick" a go. All you need is a group of players and some cones.

This session will help players:    

  • develop fundamental football movement skills   
  • make decisions linked to attacking and defending 
  • enhance communication and teamwork skills. 

If you like this idea, download the session cards and give it a go. And don’t forget to share your experience on the England Football Community. We’d love to know how you got on.
 

Tag and stick is a 'closed loop game'. This is where there is a clear ending for when the game stops. You could play for a set amount of time or to achieve a particular goal. Participation can be either individual or as part of a team. 

It is easy to set up. You only need a group of players and some cones to mark out an area.   

Choose one child to play the glue monster. They run after the other children to tag them by touching their back or shoulder. They then immediately stick to and join the glue monster.  

Once the glue monster has grown to four children stuck together, they split back into two. Now, the two pairs search for other children to stick to before splitting again. The game ends once everyone has been caught.  

Choose one child to play the glue monster. They run after the other children to tag them by touching their back or shoulder. They then immediately stick to and join the glue monster. The game ends once everyone has been caught.
Choose one child to play the glue monster. They run after the other children to tag them by touching their back or shoulder. They then immediately stick to and join the glue monster. The game ends once everyone has been caught.

Coaching activity

Watch this video to see the activity in action.

Imaginative play

Create a story about where the glue monster came from.   


Object play

Introduce a football that has to be dribbled or bounced while being chased.   


Social play

Introduce a version where the glue monster doesn't split and gets bigger and bigger. This will make every player work together and provide different challenges for those avoiding the glue monsters.   


Physical play

Add a time challenge for the glue monster to make them go faster.
   
Remember to give it a football focus. Give everyone a ball, and the glue monster can steal their ball to stick them.   

Want to get more from the game? Use our idea generator to increase the returns for your players.