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Session

Play Phase session: penguin valley

Looking for an activity for 4–6-year-olds? Try cat and mouse. All you need is a group of players and some cones.
Session
Sessions
England Football Learning logo on a red background.

England Football Learning

2 mins - Apr 22, 2024

This session will help players:  

  • improve a variety of movement skills
  • begin to develop basic dribbling skills
  • work on their coordination. 

 

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. 

 

Penguin valley is an 'individual game'. This means each child has an object, such as a ball, which they move and engage with in different ways. The freedom of these games gives children the chance to explore and try new things.  

 

 

Setting up penguin valley is easy. All you'll need are a group of players, cones, and some footballs. 

 

 

Make the valley for the penguins to run through by making two lines of cones with a gap between them. The wider the gap, the more room for the children to move around. 

 

The aim of the game is to move the egg (football) through the valley and back down the outside. Ask the children to walk like the penguins through the valley. Encourage them to take lots of little touches of the ball with both feet. When they have reached the end of the valley, they can pick the ball up and carry it back to start again. They could also dribble back down the outside if more comfortable. 

 

When the children are more confident with the session, ask some to act as 'polar bears'. The 'polar bears' will move around to obstruct the penguin's path. 

 

 

Make a valley for the penguins to run through by making two lines of cones with a gap between them. The penguins move the egg (football) through the valley and back down the outside. When the players are more comfortable with the sessions, ask some players to be 'polar bears'. They will obstruct the path of the penguins. 
Make a valley for the penguins to run through by making two lines of cones with a gap between them. The penguins move the egg (football) through the valley and back down the outside. When the players are more comfortable with the sessions, ask some players to be 'polar bears'. They will obstruct the path of the penguins. 

Coaching activity

Watch this video to see the activity in action. 

Imaginative play – add a little imagination

Encourage them to imagine how things might move when it's cold. Ask them for ideas. There might be a visit from Father Christmas.

 

Object play – introduce equipment

Encourage children to move equipment around the area in different ways. They could carry, bounce or dribble the ball around the valley.

 

Social play – bring everyone together

Base the game on a story and encourage the children to create a story about why the penguins need to get through the valley. 

 

Give the game a football focus. Encourage different skills they may use when playing football. This could be a change of direction or going into space.

 

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

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