A football, or any ball that's soft and easy to throwHave
Four shoes, cones or sweatshirts for the end zonesHave
Water bottles, and a bench or blanket for breaksHave
A phone timerHave
Where: A flat patch of grass about as long as a driveway, away from the street, with room for the grown-ups to run.
Before you start
Fluids, breaks and quitting when it hurts. AAP says to drink plenty of fluids, take rest periods, and stop the activity if it hurts.
Touch only, no tackling. AAP says illegal tackles like head-first hits can cause severe head and neck injuries, and suggests non-tackling options. Our game is two-hand touch only, and grown-ups jog.
After a hit to the head, stop. CDC says if a concussion is suspected, take the child out of play, keep them out that day, and wait for a health care provider to clear them.
Check the field first. Walk it for holes, rocks and sticks, and keep it away from the street.
02Steps
Check the field
DadWalk the yard before anyone plays. Pick up sticks and rocks, look for holes, and mark two end zones with shoes or cones. Keep the game away from the street and the garage. About 5 minutes.
Warm up and drink
TogetherEveryone jogs a lap, does a few jumping jacks and arm circles, and takes a drink of water. Say the plan: "Touch only, and we stop for dinner." About 5 minutes.
Make fair teams
TogetherLine everyone up from youngest to oldest and count off one, two, one, two. Each team gets a mix of little kids, bigger kids and grown-ups. Swap a player or two if one team looks lopsided. About 5 minutes.
Say the rules
DadOur game rules: two-hand touch below the shoulders, no tackling, no blocking, no diving. Every kid on a team touches the ball before your team can score. Handoffs and pitches count, and touches carry over between your team's drives until you score. Only kids score, and a touchdown by a kid 7 or under counts double (our house rule). Grown-ups throw underhand and jog, never sprint at a kid. About 5 minutes.
Play
TogetherSet a phone timer for 35 minutes. Play in short drives, four plays each, then switch. A touch ends the play, and the next play starts from that spot. A dropped pass goes back to where the play started. After a touchdown, or four plays without one, the other team starts from its own end. Give the ball to the smallest kid on a lot of plays. Call a water break every few drives, and stop anyone who says it hurts. About 35 minutes.
Last play and stretch
TogetherWhen the timer buzzes, play one last play with the smallest kid carrying the ball. Then stretch your legs and arms, drink water and head in for dinner. About 5 minutes.
03If it stalls
If one team runs away with it, swap players or move the grown-ups to the other side.
If a little kid keeps getting left out, make it a rule that the ball goes to them next.
If it gets too rough, stop the game and say the rule again: touch only.
After a hit to the head, watch for dizziness or balance problems, a headache, nausea or vomiting, or confusion. Call 911 for danger signs like repeated vomiting, a headache that gets worse, slurred speech, seizures, or if they pass out or can't be woken.
If you don't have enough players, play one team against a coach who throws to everyone.
04Variations
Ages 5–7
Use a soft ball. The little kids carry it and the grown-ups throw underhand to them. You can skip the scorekeeping; just make sure everyone gets a turn.
Ages 8–10
They throw and catch with the grown-ups and pick the plays. Keep the rule that every kid touches the ball before a score.
Ages 11–12
They run the game: they pick teams, keep the score and call the last play. Grown-ups still throw underhand and play the touch-only rule.
ColdWear layers you can shed, and warm up a little longer. Take the water breaks inside if it's freezing.
RainSkip it. Wet grass is slick, so play a card or board game before dinner instead.
A field card like this one for the weekend, one quick plan for a weeknight. Nothing else. The first letter hasn't gone out yet. You'll get one email to confirm.
Fluids, rest and stopping when it hurts. AAP says to drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise or play, that rest periods during practice and games can reduce injuries and prevent heat illness, to stop the activity if it hurts, and that stretching after games or practice can increase flexibility. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) Checked Oct 18, 2026
Tackling and non-tackling football. AAP's football safety page says illegal tackles, such as head-first hits, can lead to severe injuries of the head and neck, that players should learn the right way to apply and absorb a tackle, and that organized sports groups should consider creating more non-tackling leagues. It was last updated in 2015. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) Checked Oct 18, 2026
Signs of a concussion in children. CDC's HEADS UP page on concussion signs and symptoms lists symptoms in children such as headaches, dizziness or balance problems, nausea or vomiting early on, vision problems, foggy or groggy feelings and trouble thinking clearly. For ages 5 to 17 it lists signs such as appearing dazed or confused, answering questions more slowly and appearing more clumsy than usual. It says to seek emergency care immediately after a bump, blow or jolt to the head for danger signs including seizures, repeated nausea or vomiting, a headache that gets worse and does not go away, and slurred speech, weakness or numbness. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Checked Oct 19, 2026
Sitting out after a suspected concussion. CDC's HEADS UP page on responding to a sports-related concussion says to remove the athlete from sports participation right away if a concussion is suspected, to keep them out of sports the same day of the injury and until cleared by a healthcare provider, and that the decision about return to sports is a medical decision made by a healthcare provider. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Checked Oct 19, 2026
Turkey-day backyard football: touch only, everybody plays
A low-key touch game before the meal: fair teams, rules that let a 6-year-old score and a last play when it's time to eat.
Time
1 hour
Cost
$0
Ages
5 to 12
Where
A yard or park lawn
What you need
A football, or any ball that's soft and easy to throw
Four shoes, cones or sweatshirts for the end zones
Water bottles, and a bench or blanket for breaks
A phone timer
Before you start
Fluids, breaks and quitting when it hurts. AAP says to drink plenty of fluids, take rest periods, and stop the activity if it hurts.
Touch only, no tackling. AAP says illegal tackles like head-first hits can cause severe head and neck injuries, and suggests non-tackling options. Our game is two-hand touch only, and grown-ups jog.
After a hit to the head, stop. CDC says if a concussion is suspected, take the child out of play, keep them out that day, and wait for a health care provider to clear them.
Check the field first. Walk it for holes, rocks and sticks, and keep it away from the street.
Steps
Check the field. Walk the field for sticks, rocks and holes, and mark two end zones away from the street. 5 min.
Warm up and drink. Jog a lap, do a few jumping jacks and take a drink of water. 5 min.
Make fair teams. Line up youngest to oldest, count off one-two, and swap a player if a team looks lopsided. 5 min.
Say the rules. Two-hand touch; no tackling, blocking or diving. Every kid touches the ball before a score. Only kids score; a kid 7 or under scores double.
Play. 35-minute timer. A touch ends the play; restart there. Four plays to score, then the other team starts from its own end. Water breaks. 35 min.
Last play and stretch. When the timer buzzes, play one last play, then stretch and drink water before dinner. 5 min.
If it stalls
If one team runs away with it, swap players or move the grown-ups to the other side.
If a little kid keeps getting left out, make it a rule that the ball goes to them next.
