Cricstars Under-10 Cricket Starter Plan · Lesson 6 of 8
Lesson 5 connected batting with running. Lesson 6 adds teamwork, pressure and communication.
Children learn that fast cricket still needs calm hands, clear calls and safe decisions.
Where this lesson fits
Children practise running, passing and calling together. Start slowly so each player knows where to move and when to throw.
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.
- 0-6 minutes: Traffic Lights warm-up
- 6-20 minutes: Runners v Passers
- 20-35 minutes: Diamond Cricket
- 35-48 minutes: Accuracy under time challenge
- 48-56 minutes: Team communication game
Main activities
Drill 1: Traffic Lights
Green means run, red means stop, yellow means jog and blue means turn. It builds reaction and listening.
Drill 2: Runners v Passers
One team runs while the other passes the ball cleanly. Score speed and accuracy together.
Drill 3: Diamond Cricket
Four stations form a diamond. Children hit, run, field and return the ball in an active game shape.
Coaching cues to use
Use short calls such as "mine", "yours" and "wait". Play a slow practice round so children learn the route before the timer starts.
- Fast is good, accurate is better
- Call before passing
- Throw to hands
- Run safely
- Help your teammate
Make it easier or harder
Make it easier: Shorten the running distance and use underarm passes.
Make it harder: Add a time challenge, require clear calls or increase distance between passers.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Letting speed become chaos
- Rewarding only the fastest team
- Ignoring communication
- Using throws teammates cannot catch
What progress looks like
A good round has clear calls, safe running and passes that teammates can catch. Speed matters only when the group stays in control.
- Runs with control
- Calls more clearly
- Throws catchable passes
- Stays accurate under pressure
- Works better in a team
Parent home version
Set a cone five to ten metres away. The child runs, picks up a ball and throws at a bucket.
Set one running marker and one throwing target. Practise the route slowly before asking for a faster round.
Coach reflection after the session
Were runners and passers safe and clear with their calls? Remove time pressure if either part broke down.
Why this lesson feels more like real cricket
By Lesson 6, children have enough basic skills to combine them. They can run, hit, catch, throw and aim. Speed and accuracy games make cricket feel alive because several skills happen together.
This is where children start experiencing the rhythm of cricket: move, call, throw, catch, run and reset. The session should feel energetic, but not chaotic.
Communication is a cricket skill
Under-10 players often stay quiet. They chase the same ball, hesitate while running or throw without warning. Simple words can change that. Teach "mine," "yours," "go," "wait," "throw" and calling a teammate's name.
A useful coaching trick is to play one silent round, then one calling round. Ask the children which round felt easier. They usually understand the value of communication immediately.
How to keep competition healthy
Children enjoy races, but the scoring should not embarrass slower players. Award points for clean passes, safe running, clear calls and accurate throws. This allows more children to contribute.
The aim is not to find the fastest child. The aim is to help the whole group move with better control.
Keeping fast sessions controlled
Speed games can become messy quickly. Before starting, show children where to run, where to wait and where to throw. Use cones to create clear stations. If children understand the pattern, they can move fast without creating chaos.
Keep the first round slow. Let children learn the route, the pass and the call. Then increase speed. This is better than starting with a race and watching the quality disappear.
It also helps to reward calm actions. Give points for calling clearly, throwing to hands, stopping safely and helping a teammate. This tells children that speed is useful only when it stays connected to accuracy and teamwork.
If a child panics under time pressure, reduce the distance or remove the timer. Confidence should grow through success, not embarrassment.
Small coaching detail that makes this lesson better
Before increasing speed, run one slow demonstration round. Children should know the running line, passing line and waiting area before the race begins. This prevents collisions and keeps the activity organised.
If the group becomes noisy or rushed, pause for ten seconds and reset the rules. A calm reset is better than letting the game become messy. Young players learn faster when the activity feels exciting but still controlled.
More help from Cricstars
Explore the next learning pathway
What comes next
Previous: Read the previous lesson
Next: Continue to the next lesson
Full plan: Back to the Under-10 Cricket Training Plan