Football Games to Play With Kids

The sport of football offers a variety of different games for kids to play ranging from physically challenging to those based on luck. Football games for kids can test their speed, strength or accuracy. They can also give kids a chance to win prizes such as football cards to add to their collections.

  1. Football Horseshoes

    • Football horseshoes is most closely related to horseshoes and bocce ball but played with a football. Draw a circle in the middle of a playing field. The first circle should be three feet in diameter, with larger ones six and nine feet in diameter drawn around it. Choose a distance from which to throw the football. Players compete as individuals or teams. A round can consist of three throws per player. Score three points for any football landing in the center circle, two points for landing in the second largest circle and one point for landing within the largest circle. After playing five rounds, which totals 15 throws per player, the player with the most points wins. This is a game that children can play once they are old enough to throw a football.

    Kicking Contest

    • Place two trashcans at the end of a playing area and place a wooden stick across the trash cans. This forms the goal posts for the kicking contest. Start at a distance of 10 feet from the goal posts and place a football tee at that location. Each child takes turns kicking the ball toward the goal posts. If it goes over the stick and between the trash cans, award three points. Play several rounds with the distance moving back 10 feet for each round. The point value for field goals should increase by one point for each time it moves back 10 feet. After six kicks per player, one at each distance, the player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

    Training Camp Obstacle Course

    • Create an obstacle course for the kids. Football players run through obstacle courses for training and this will give the kids a chance to do the same thing. Start with putting a line of tires in a row that the children have to run through. Include ropes tied between spikes in the ground that the kids must step over. Place a pole set up like a high jump pole three feet off the ground for the kids to jump over and have a pad behind it for them to land on. Have them finish by picking up a football and hitting a target with it to finish the course. The kid with the fastest time wins. This can also be played as a relay race with the next team member starting when the one before him finishes.

    Football Card Flicking Game

    • The football card flicking game is one that kids can play to try to increase the number of cards of their favorite players. Each player chooses one football card and sits on the floor. He places his hand behind a foul line and bends the card holding his thumb on the top and first finger on the bottom so the ends of the card come close to touching, then releases it. Several kids do this and the player who has his card fly the furthest wins all the cards used. To avoid damaging cards, another option is for each player to have one card for flicking, but put cards in good condition into the pot for the winner instead of bending the cards.