Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Team Games Tactics Board: Free Printable Chart for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Team Games Tactics Board is a free printable PE chart for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children plan their attack and defence moves, play three team games, then fill in a scoreboard that rates their teamwork and passing. It needs only a pencil, a soft ball or bean bag, and a little space to play. Page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children start by planning. They draw arrows to show where the team will pass, and Xs to show where the team will stand to defend. Then they play three games and fill in the scoreboard after each one, with columns for the game, teamwork, passing and team points. A short checklist reminds them what good team play looks like, and there are boxes for drawing or notes.
- Attack: draw arrows to show where we pass
- Defend: draw Xs to show where we stand
- Game
- Teamwork
- Passing
- Team points
- I passed to a teammate
- I moved into a free space
- I cheered for my team
Setting up your games
Choose a safe space
Pick a flat area with room to run, such as a garden, hall or playground. Clear away anything that could trip a player. An adult should check the space before play starts.
Pick a soft ball or bean bag
A soft ball or bean bag is easy to catch and kind to hands. Avoid hard balls for this activity, especially indoors.
Make small teams
Teams of three or four work well. Everyone gets more touches of the ball, and it is easy to see who is in a free space.
Mark the pitch
Use cones, rolled up socks or chalk to show the edges. Coloured bibs help children see who is on which team.
Why plan before you play?
A tactic is a plan for how a team will play. In Year 2, tactics are simple. Where will we pass the ball? Where will we stand so the other team cannot get past? Drawing the plan first helps children think about space and about each other, before the excitement of the game takes over.
The National Curriculum for England asks Key Stage 1 children to take part in team games and to begin using simple tactics for attacking and defending. A tactics board turns that idea into something children can see. They draw it, try it, then look back and ask whether the plan worked.
Play on a flat, clear space with a soft ball or bean bag. An adult should check the area first and stay nearby to watch play. Stop the game if anyone is hurt, and make sure children have water and rest between games.
Team game facts
- In netball, a player who catches the ball cannot run with it. They must pass it to a teammate.
- In rugby, the ball can only be passed backwards or sideways, not forwards.
- In football, the goalkeeper is the only player allowed to use their hands during normal play, inside their own penalty area.
- Many team games have attackers who try to score and defenders who try to stop the other team.
Skills and curriculum link
- Planning tactics
- Passing to a teammate
- Finding free space
- Teamwork
- Rating your own play
- Taking turns
Ideas for helping children think like a team
- Attack means trying to scoreWhen a team has the ball, players try to move it towards the goal or target. Passing to a teammate is one way to do this.
- Defend means stopping the other teamDefenders stand in places that make it hard for the other team to pass or score. Where players stand matters.
- Free space helps a passA teammate standing with no one close to them is easier to pass to. Moving into a free space gives the ball somewhere to go.
- Everyone can helpCheering, calling for the ball and moving into space all help a team, even when you do not have the ball.
Key words
- TacticA plan for how your team will play.
- AttackTrying to score or move the ball forward when your team has it.
- DefendTrying to stop the other team from scoring.
- PassTo send the ball to a teammate.
- TeammateA player on your own team.
- Free spaceA place on the pitch where no other player is close by.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- Read the sheet together. Talk about what attack and defend mean before anyone picks up a pencil.
- Children draw their plan first, with arrows for passes and Xs for where the team will stand.
- Play each game for a few minutes. After every game, fill in the scoreboard together and tick the checklist.
- Check page 2 together. Come back another day and try a new plan. Repeating a familiar game builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use cones and coloured bibs on a small pitch. Let children talk through their plan aloud before drawing it. Start with just one pass in the plan, such as from one player to another, and add more once that feels easy.
To stretch confident children
After game one, ask children to change one part of their plan and explain why it should help. Then play game two and decide together whether the change worked. Children can note their reasons in the boxes on the sheet.
Make it a game
Play in teams of three or four with a soft ball or bean bag. Take turns to be the scorer. Give the team one point each time the ball is passed to a teammate and caught. The scorer writes team points on the scoreboard.
Talk about it
- Where did you plan to pass the ball, and did it go there?
- Why did you choose to stand in that place when defending?
- What does it mean to move into a free space?
- How did your team cheer each other on?
- What would you change in your plan for the next game?
- Which game did your team pass best in, and why do you think so?
Take it off the page
Backyard passing
Stand in a circle with a soft ball. Pass to someone new each time and say their name. Count how many passes you can make without dropping the ball.
Draw a team plan
Draw a simple pitch on paper. Use arrows to show passes and Xs to show defenders, then act it out with toy figures or friends.
Free space hunt
Play a gentle game where one player stands still and the others move around. Call out when you spot a free space, then walk into it.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go, then let them lead. Ask them to explain their plan before you play. You do not need to know the rules of any sport. Praise good thinking, kind cheering and effort, not just winning.
Teachers
Use it as a PE starter, a plenary after a team games lesson, a homework task or a table activity. It needs only printing and a soft ball. The scoreboard gives children a simple way to reflect on teamwork, and page 2 supports mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider PE plan. It works well with outdoor play, family games and local sports clubs. Brothers and sisters can play together as one team or as two. Reprint it to try new plans on another day.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, children are learning to throw, catch and move safely, and to take turns in simple games. These skills give them the confidence to join in with others.
After this sheet, children can try more team games and plan more detailed tactics. In later years they take part in competitive games, use rules more fully and begin to judge what makes a plan work.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Team Games Tactics Board for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Younger children can join in with help from an adult, and older children can use it to plan more detailed tactics.
- What will children practise?
Children practise planning simple attack and defence moves and rating their own teamwork and passing in team games. They also practise moving into free space and cheering for teammates.
- How do I use it?
Children draw their plan first, then play each game for a few minutes. Fill in the scoreboard together after every game. Page 2 has notes for the grown-up, plus the answers.
- What if it feels too hard?
Make the game smaller and simpler. Use cones and coloured bibs on a small pitch. Let children talk through their plan aloud before drawing, and start with just one pass.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another class.
- Do we need a big space?
No. A garden, hall or small corner of a playground is enough. Use cones, chalk or rolled up socks to mark the edges, and keep the pitch small so everyone gets plenty of touches.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper, a pencil and a soft ball or bean bag. It works well after school, on rainy days that can be moved indoors, and during school holidays.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.