Flag Football Games for Kids

Flag Football has been around for ages, and it’s a great game to introduce to children.

Don’t worry about the aggressive versions of flag football. There are plenty of safe and enjoyable variations to explore!

Fun Games for Kids

Ending practice with a game is a great way to reward your players for their hard work and inject some fun into your sessions. The goal is to choose games that combine conditioning with the development of essential flag football skills.

Here are some exciting flag football games for kids. Take a look and get ready to play!

1. Sharks & Minnows

This classic game, originally played in a swimming pool, adapts perfectly to flag football.

Setup:

• Use a football field or create a square playing area with cones.
• One player is designated as the shark (the sole defender) and stands in the middle of the field.
• The other players, known as the minnows, line up in the end zone, which is their safe area.

How to Play:

1. The coach blows the whistle to start the game.
2. The minnows attempt to sprint across the field to the opposite end zone.
3. The shark tries to pull the flags from the running minnows. When a minnow’s flag is pulled, they become a shark for the next round and join the other sharks in the middle.
4. If a minnow runs out of bounds, they are considered to have had their flag pulled and also become a shark.
5. The game continues until only one minnow remains. This player is declared the winner and becomes the shark for the next game.

Tips:

• Encourage sharks to use team tactics to surround and pull flags from faster players.
• Advise minnows to sprint quickly and use one-step cuts and spins to avoid having their flags pulled.
• Watch for flag guarding; penalize minnows by turning them into sharks or sending them back to the starting position.

2. Speed Football

Speed Football is a competitive flag football challenge where two teams race each other up and down the field using only passing.

Setup:

• Divide your players into two equal groups. If the groups are uneven, rotate the extra player on every play.
• Split the practice field in half, creating two narrow fields of play.
• Both teams start at the goal line of one end zone.

How to Play:

1. On the coach’s signal, both teams line up in formation and attempt to move the ball down the field by passing it.
2. All players must be set before the quarterback can call hike.
3. Players must stay within their half of the field.
4. Passing patterns can be as deep or shallow as desired.
5. When a player catches a pass, they cannot run. The ball is spotted where it was caught.
6. If the pass is incomplete or caught out-of-bounds, players must return to the previous line of scrimmage and try again.
7. On a complete pass, the catcher becomes the quarterback for the next play.
8. The first team to reach the opposite end zone, turn around, and make it back to the starting end zone wins.

Optional Rule:

• Assign a defender from each unit to cover the opposing team’s receivers, block passes, or intercept the ball. The defender does not pull flags; each play ends with a complete or incomplete pass. Interceptions count as incomplete passes, and the offensive team returns to the previous line of scrimmage.

Speed Football tests players’ catching abilities and quick movement while adding a fun, competitive element to your practice.

3. Steal the Pig Skin

This game is a fun adaptation of the classic “Steal the Bacon” for flag football.

Setup:

• Divide your players into two equal groups. One group starts on offense, the other on defense.
• Line up the two groups facing each other, about 10-15 yards apart, with a football (the pigskin) placed midway between the two lines.
• Assign numbers to each player in both groups, starting from 1 on the right side of each line. Players with the same number should be diagonally opposite each other.

How to Play:

1. Call out a number. The offensive player with that number runs to the center, touches the football, and tries to return to their starting spot.
2. Simultaneously, the defensive player with the same number runs forward to try to pull the flag off the offensive player’s belt before they return to their starting spot.
3. If the offensive player makes it back with their flag intact, their team scores a point. If the defensive player pulls the flag before the offensive player returns, their team scores a point.
4. After each player has had a turn, switch roles so the offense becomes the defense and vice versa.

Steal the Pig Skin is a dynamic game that helps players practice quick bursts of speed, sharp changes in direction, and effective flag pulling, all while having fun.

4. Double Trouble

Double Trouble is a fun and challenging game that tests hand-eye coordination and physical alignment skills.

How to Play:

• Each player starts with their own ball.
• At the start of the game, each player throws their ball while simultaneously acting as a receiver for another ball.
• To earn points, players must throw accurately; poorly executed throws do not count and may result in losing points.

Variations:

• The game can be played with different objects, such as Frisbees, making it versatile and not limited to just flag football.

Double Trouble is a versatile throwing game that adds an extra layer of fun and can be enjoyed with various objects, not just footballs.

Also Read: Flag Football Rules

5. Out/Stop/Finish

This game combines physical activity with mental effort, making it both fun and educational.

How to Play:

• Begin by passing the ball back and forth between players (or in a circle if playing with three or more).
• Each time a player drops the ball, they receive a letter.
• If a player’s accumulated letters spell out a predetermined word, they are out of the game.

Why It’s Beneficial:

• This game encourages players to keep track of the letters and the word they are forming.
• It helps improve spelling skills and awareness of the room for mistakes.

Out/Stop/Finish is an engaging game that challenges both the body and the mind, promoting physical coordination and spelling skills.

6. One Hand

One Hand is a simple yet challenging flag football game for kids where players can only use one hand.

How to Play:

• Players play flag football but are only allowed to use one hand.

Why It’s Fun:

• This game requires a high level of skill, making it especially suitable for athletic and hyperactive children.
• It’s a fun way to enhance existing athletic abilities and adds a unique twist to traditional flag football.

One Hand is a great way to develop coordination and dexterity, providing an exciting challenge for kids with a flair for physical activity.

7. Don’t Drop It

Don’t Drop It is a straightforward yet thrilling flag football game.

How to Play:

• Two players pass the ball back and forth.
• The player who drops the ball loses.

Why It’s Fun:

• This game can become intensely competitive, especially as each player tries to catch the ball and avoid dropping it.
• It’s a fun way to practice catching and passing skills, and it’s great for bonding moments, like playing with a parent.

Don’t Drop It is an exciting game that enhances focus and coordination, perfect for a quick and engaging challenge.

8. Workouts

Workouts keeps you active with its dynamic exercise game design.

How to Play:

• Choose a target number of catches within a specific timeframe (e.g., 20 catches in 1 minute).
• The designated person must try to achieve the set goal by catching the ball within the allotted time.

Consequences:

• If the goal is not met, the player must compensate by completing a predetermined workout, such as a set number of pushups or running laps around the house.

Workouts is a fun way to stay motivated and incorporate exercise into your routine while enjoying a game with friends or family.

9. Flag/Touch Football

Flag and Touch Football are simple to explain because they closely resemble traditional football.

How to Play:

• Players follow similar rules to regular football but refrain from tackling.
• Instead of tackling, players either tag opponents with their hand or remove a flag attached to their waist.

Team Game:

• These games require a minimum of 8 players and are best enjoyed as a team activity.
• While the core rules involve tagging or flagging, there’s room for innovation and creativity in gameplay.

Flag and Touch Football offer a familiar yet modified version of football, promoting teamwork and strategic thinking without the physical contact of traditional play.