Youth Flag Football Plays
13 easy flag football plays for young players. Print them or open any play to edit.
Slant Flat
Z runs a 3-step slant, the inside man runs to the flat underneath him. If the defender on Z sits inside, throw the flat.
Read: Z → X → C
Stack Out and Up
The front man in the stack runs straight up and takes the defender with him; the back man breaks out at 4 yards into the space left behind.
Read: Z → Y → X
Curl Flat
The front of the stack curls at 6 yards facing the quarterback while the back man runs to the flat. Read the flat defender: he cannot cover both.
Read: Y → Z → X
Jet Sweep
The slot runs flat motion across the formation and takes the handoff at full speed. The receivers run deep to pull defenders away from the sweep.
Read: Y
Pitch Sweep
The back takes a pitch and races to the wide side. Once the pitch is made every defender may rush, so the back must get outside quickly.
Read: Y
Quick Outs
Four short routes that open within two seconds. A good first play for young teams and a safe call against a fast rusher.
Read: Z → X → Y
Slant Out
One receiver breaks in, one breaks out, the center sits in the middle. Three easy throws from one look.
Read: X → Z → C
Go Hitch
The outside man runs deep and clears space for the slot to stop at 5 yards underneath him.
Read: X → Z → C
Pitch Sweep
A pitch to the back and a race to the edge, with the receiver running off his defender.
Read: Z
Curl Flat
Curl and flat on both sides. Read the defender between them: if he widens to the flat, throw the curl.
Read: X → H → C
Jet Sweep
Flat motion from the left slot and a handoff on the move; the three receivers clear the right side deep.
Read: H
Curl Flat
Curl and flat on each side; pick the side before the snap from the defenders’ alignment.
Read: X → H → F
Jet Sweep
Motion and handoff on the move to the wide side while every receiver runs his man away.
Read: H
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How to use the Youth Flag Football Plays tool
- Check the count above the cards to see how many plays are showing.
- Narrow the list with the filter buttons. Choose a format (4v4, 5v5, 6v6, 7v7 or 8v8) or a type (such as Quick pass, Beats man or Run).
- Type a name in the search box to find a specific play.
- Read each card. It shows the diagram, the play name, its format, level, and type tags, a coaching note, and the read order, such as Z then X then C.
- Tick the Select box on each play you want to keep.
- Press Make a playbook to open the playbook maker with your selected plays. To edit a single play, press Open in the designer on its card.
Print and PDF use your selection. If nothing is selected, they use every play shown, so filter the list first if you only want a few plays on paper.
Open in the designer loads a play at full size, where you can make a route even shorter for very young players. The plays you tick stay ticked in this browser, so you can come back later and print the same set.
Each card prints with its diagram and note.
What plays should young flag football players run?
Young players should run plays with short routes and one or two reads. A short route gets the ball out quickly, and a small number of reads means the quarterback is not asked to track a long list of receivers. The Youth-tagged plays follow this pattern, including Slant Flat, Quick Outs, and Pitch Sweep in 5v5.
A read is a receiver the quarterback looks at, in the order shown in the read order line on each card. Plays with runs and pitches add a second option, but the pitch must stay behind the line of scrimmage.
Flag football plays for 1st graders and kindergarten (ages 5-7)
Five- to seven-year-olds do best with one route each and one read for the quarterback. Teach the snap, one simple route and catching before you add a second play, and use the 4v4 plays when you can, because fewer players means fewer things to remember. NFL FLAG’s guidelines for 7U and 6U also remove the rush unless there is a handoff, so the quarterback gets time to throw. See 4v4 flag football plays for the smallest format.
How many plays do 8 year olds need?
The rules do not set a number, and this page does not give one. Start with a few plays a child can run correctly, then add more as they learn. All 13 plays on this page are Beginner level; filter by your format to see the few that fit your team size, and teach those first.
What rules change for 8U and younger in NFL FLAG?
For 8U and 2nd-3rd grade league play, no-run zones are removed, and defenders may not rush unless there is a handoff. One coach may be on the field before the snap.
For 7U/6U and below, no-run zones are removed, and defenders may not rush unless there is a handoff. A dropped snap is a do-over, once per down. Defenders line up at least 5 yards off the ball (3 yards inside the 5). Check with your league to confirm which rules it uses.
Why does every play pass a rule check?
Every flag play is checked against the NFL FLAG 5v5 rules. Each play has one forward pass from behind the line. The quarterback never runs the ball across the line, and handoffs and pitches happen only behind it. Blocking and screening are not allowed. The center is on the line, and only one player is in motion before the snap. Plays that break one of these rules are not included, so young players learn habits that carry over to the official game.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free and do I need an account?
Yes. The tool is free, needs no sign-up, and runs in your browser.
Can I print it or save it as a PDF?
Yes. Select your plays, then press Print to print them, or PDF to save a file. The PDF button places 4 plays on each page.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The play cards stack in one column on a phone, and Open in the designer lets you change any play with your finger.
Are these plays copied from a real team’s playbook?
No. All plays are our own drawings of common concepts. We did not copy any league or team playbook.
Which age groups do the practice tools use?
The practice plan generator and drill library use the age groups 5-7, 8-10, and 11-14.
Are the plays different for 5 and 6 year olds?
The same simple plays work, but NFL FLAG’s guidelines for 7U and 6U remove the rush unless there is a handoff and let a coach stand on the field to help, so you can focus on the snap, one route and catching.
How do I keep plays simple for kids?
Use short routes, one read, and the same formation for most plays.
Related tools
- All flag football plays: Browse the full play library when you want more options than the Youth set.
- 4v4 flag football plays: Use this when your team plays four a side.
- 5v5 flag football plays: Use this to find plays for five-a-side games.
- Flag football drills: Use these to practice routes, catching, and flag pulls before you run a play.
- Practice plan generator: Use this to build a session plan for your age group.
- Flag football rules: Check the rules your league uses before you choose a play.
- Flag football playbook PDF: Download a playbook to share with coaches and parents.
- Flag football field dimensions: See the field size and the cones needed to mark it before you set up.