Cricstars Under-10 Cricket Starter Plan · Lesson 3 of 8
Lesson 2 taught children to aim at a target. Lesson 3 uses that same idea after stopping the ball.
Children learn that cricket is not only batting and bowling. Fielding gives every child a role and keeps them involved in the game.
Where this lesson fits
Move towards the ball, gather it safely and choose a useful return. Start with two targets so each decision is easy to see.
Session snapshot
- Best age group: Children under 10, especially beginners aged 5 to 9.
- Session length: 45 to 60 minutes.
- Best equipment: Soft balls, cones, junior bats, tees, buckets, stumps or simple targets.
- Coaching style: Short cues, lots of turns, praise effort and keep the session moving.
Minute-by-minute session plan
Use this as a guide, not a strict script. If children are learning well and enjoying one activity, stay with it a little longer. If energy drops, move quickly to the next game.
- 0-7 minutes: Clean Your Room warm-up
- 7-18 minutes: Stop, pick up and throw
- 18-30 minutes: Hit the Target throwing game
- 30-42 minutes: Pepper fielding
- 42-55 minutes: Two-target decision game
Main activities
Drill 1: Clean Your Room
Two teams move soft balls or bean bags from their side to the other side. It builds movement and quick reactions.
Drill 2: Stop, Pick Up, Throw
Roll the ball to the child. They move to it, get low, stop it and throw at a target.
Drill 3: Two-Target Decision Game
After fielding, the child chooses between a close safe target and a far challenge target.
Coaching cues to use
Say "meet the ball" as you roll it. After the pickup, ask which target is safer. Let the child make the choice before giving advice.
- Go and meet the ball
- Get low
- Two hands when possible
- Step towards the target
- Choose before you throw
Make it easier or harder
Make it easier: Roll the ball slowly and use a large target close to the child.
Make it harder: Roll slightly to the side, add a time limit or ask the child to choose between two targets.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for the ball
- Making every throw about power
- Stopping the game after every mistake
- Ignoring decisions
What progress looks like
Watch whether the fielder moves earlier, gets low and looks up before throwing. These small choices show growing match awareness.
- Moves towards the ball earlier
- Bends lower when fielding
- Throws more accurately
- Chooses safer options
- Stays involved
Parent home version
Roll the ball from different angles. Call "bucket" or "hands" after pickup so the child chooses where to throw.
Roll a soft ball from different sides and offer two return targets. Let your child explain which one they chose.
Coach reflection after the session
Did children choose a target or simply throw at once? Use their answers to plan the next decision game.
Teaching children to attack the ball
A common beginner habit is waiting for the ball to arrive. Children stand still, the ball reaches them, and then they react late. Lesson 3 should gently change that habit. We want children to move towards the ball safely.
A useful phrase is "go and meet the ball." This simple cue helps children become active fielders. They start moving earlier, bending lower and taking more ownership of the fielding moment.
Why decisions matter even at this age
Fielding is not only stopping and throwing. It is also choosing. Should the child throw to the close target or try the far target? Should they hold the ball or return it quickly? These are the first steps towards cricket awareness.
Keep the decisions simple. Use two targets, colours or coach calls. The child does not need match tactics yet. They only need to learn that looking, choosing and acting are part of cricket.
How to keep fielding fun
Fielding can become boring if children stand in lines. Use games with movement, team scores and quick rotations. Give points for clean stops, brave attempts and good choices, not only perfect throws.
This helps every child feel useful, even if they are not the strongest thrower in the group.
How to coach decision-making without confusing children
Decision-making should stay simple. Do not ask young children to think about run-out ends, match situations or field settings too early. Start with choices they can see: near target or far target, safe throw or challenge throw, hold the ball or return it.
Use colours if needed. Red can mean stop and hold, blue can mean throw to the bucket and green can mean return to the coach. Children enjoy this because it feels like a game, but they are actually learning to scan, listen and choose.
The long-term benefit is important. A child who learns to make small choices in fielding games will later understand cricket situations faster than a child who only practised throwing at one target.
More help from Cricstars
Read simple match-law explanations
What comes next
Previous: Read the previous lesson
Next: Continue to the next lesson
Full plan: Back to the Under-10 Cricket Training Plan