Backyard Penalty Shootout
A simple garden penalty shootout for UK families — cones, a soft ball, and turn-taking fun that suits World Cup watch-along weekends.
Age4-11
Duration15-40m
CostFree
Ages 4–1115–40 minsFreeoutdoorSunny day
World Cup 2026
The 2026 tournament runs June to JulyDates vary by school and local authorityAges 2-12Season: Summer
World Cup 2026 activities for garden games, match-day bingo, flag hunts, shirt design crafts, and football party ideas during the tournament and summer holidays.
For parents
Mix outdoor kickabouts with sofa-friendly watch-along games. Print the match-day bingo sheet, set up a penalty shootout in the garden, and keep indoor sock football ready for wet weather.
For teachers
Useful for PE warm-ups, geography flag work, tally charts for scores, and calm printable time during wet play or end-of-term lessons.
At home
At-home activities
Fun things to do around world cup 2026.
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Match Day Bingo Challenge
A family watch-along bingo game for football matches — spot goals, celebrations, and match moments while keeping screen time playful.
Age4-10
Duration45-120m
CostFree
Ages 4–1045–120 minsFreeindoorRainy day
Football Skills Circuit
A garden skills circuit with dribbling, passing, and target stations — structured outdoor play for World Cup-inspired afternoons.
Age5-11
Duration20-45m
CostFree
Ages 5–1120–45 minsFreeoutdoorSunny day
Design Your Own Football Shirt
A creative football shirt design craft for children who love colours and patterns more than ball skills — ideal World Cup family time.
Age4-10
Duration20-45m
CostFree
Ages 4–1020–45 minsFreeindoorRainy day
World Cup Flag Hunt
A geography flag hunt for children — match countries, spot flags on TV or in books, and tick off the printable matching sheet.
Age6-11
Duration20-45m
CostFree
Ages 6–1120–45 minsFreeIndoor/outdoorRainy day
Indoor Sock Football
A safe indoor football game using rolled-up socks and a soft target — perfect rainy-day backup when World Cup matches are on TV.
Age3-8
Duration10-25m
CostFree
Ages 3–810–25 minsFreeindoorRainy day
Printables
Printable activities
Ready-to-use sheets, games, packs, and calmer backup activities.
Bingo
Ages 4–10Free2 pages
Match Day Bingo
A family watch-along bingo sheet for football matches — tick off goals, corners, celebrations, and half-time moments.
Age4-10
Pages2
Worksheet
Ages 6–11Free2 pages
World Cup Flag Matching Sheet
A flag matching and spotting sheet for World Cup geography games at home or in the classroom.
Age6-11
Pages2
Worksheet
Ages 4–10Free1 pages
Design a Football Shirt
A printable football shirt template for children to design their own team colours, numbers, and patterns.
Age4-10
Pages1
Party Game
Ages 5–11Free1 pages
Football Skills Scorecard
A skills circuit scorecard for dribbling, passing, balancing, and shooting stations in the garden or playground.
Age5-11
Pages1
Budget planner
Free, low-cost, and paid ideas
Free ideas
- • Garden penalty shootout
- • Match day bingo
- • Flag hunt
- • Park kickabout
Low-cost ideas
- • Printable pack
- • Craft supplies for shirt design
- • Sports club taster session
Paid ideas
- • Local football camp
- • Cinema backup for rainy days
- • Family sports club visit
Local days out
Use these as starting points for local planning. Check each venue directly before travelling or booking.
Planning tips
Make the week easier
Print bingo sheets before kick-off so children know the rules.
Keep half-time active with a quick indoor sock football game.
Use original shirt designs — avoid copying official team kits.
Check park pitch availability before travelling.
FAQs
Common questions
How do I keep young children engaged during long matches?
Use match-day bingo for observation moments, plan a half-time stretch or snack break, and keep a calm backup activity ready if attention fades.
Are these activities only for World Cup 2026?
No. The garden games, printables, and party ideas work for any football fever — club seasons, school tournaments, or birthday parties.
Can I use these in a classroom?
Yes. Flag matching, skills circuits, and tally charts work well for PE, geography, and wet play. Adapt for space and class size.
Safety and data note
Activities and venue suggestions are provided as a starting point. Always check age suitability, safety needs, and official venue information before visiting or booking.
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