Stickhandling drills at home for kids
For hockey players aged 7 to 17 and the parents helping them. All you need is a stick, a ball or practice puck, and about 8 by 8 feet of floor.
The short answer: The best way to practice stickhandling at home is short, focused sessions: about 12 minutes for kids under 10, 15 for ages 10 to 13, and 20 for 14 and up. Pick 3 to 5 drills, start with about 30 seconds on and 30 seconds rest, 3 to 4 sets per drill, and begin with wide dribbles, quick taps and figure eights, knees bent and eyes up. Add toe drags and dekes once those feel easy.
What you need
- A stick
- A ball or practice puck
- About 8 by 8 feet of floor
That's it. You don't need a net for any of these drills. A bit of tape or a shoe works as a floor marker.
Optional extras: a smooth board, a quieter ball, or an old stick or blade protector to save the floor.
Set up the space
Clear away anything that can break or trip someone. For the eyes-up drills, pick a spot on the wall at eye level.
Stop if it hurts. Tell a grown-up.
Stance first
Before any drill, check:
- Feet about shoulder-width apart, knees bent.
- Back flat, leaning a little forward, hips pushed back like you're about to sit.
- Top hand at the very top of the stick, bottom hand about a forearm below.
- Blade flat on the floor.
- Head up.
The top hand does the turning. The bottom hand stays loose.
Drills to start with
Wide Dribble
Move the ball side to side as wide as you can while staying low.
- Setup: Athletic stance, ball in the middle.
- Good looks like: The ball stays in the middle of the blade as it goes wide to the forehand side, then across to the backhand.
- Common mistake: Standing up tall as the ball goes wide.
- Cues: “Soft hands” · “Knees bent, back flat” · “Eyes up, not on the ball”
- Timing: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, 4 sets. First 2 sets top hand only, then both hands.
Quick Taps
Tap the ball back and forth in front of you as fast as you can.
- Setup: Wide stance, ball just in front of your toes.
- Good looks like: Taps about a hand-width each way, getting faster each time.
- Common mistake: Big swings instead of small taps.
- Cues: “Tiny, quick taps” · “Hands out in front” · “Chin up”
- Timing: 20 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, 3 sets.
Figure Eights
Weave the ball in a figure eight around two marks on the floor.
- Setup: Two marks (tape or shoes) a stick-length apart.
- Good looks like: Tight loops around each mark.
- Common mistake: Letting the loops get wide and loose.
- Cues: “Keep the ball close” · “Top hand does the work” · “Look up every loop”
- Timing: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, 4 sets. First 2 sets top hand only.
Long Reach Sweeps
Sweep the ball far out in front, then pull it back to your toes.
- Setup: Ball at your toes, blade behind it.
- Good looks like: A long push out as far as the arms can reach, then a full pull back to the toes.
- Common mistake: Bending at the back to reach further.
- Cues: “Reach with your arms, not your back” · “Soft hands” · “Pull it all the way back”
- Timing: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, 4 sets. First 2 sets top hand only.
When Puckmaxxing is out, it will run sessions like these for your kid, with spoken coaching cues and a timer. Join the waitlist.
When those feel easy
In the Puckmaxxing app, the first four are House-level drills (House is free) and these four sit at the A level, which is part of a paid plan.
Toe Drags
Pull the ball in with the toe of your blade, then push it back out.
- Setup: Ball out wide, blade on the far side of it.
- Good looks like: Slow and controlled, ball cupped on the toe.
- Common mistake: Rushing and losing the ball off the toe.
- Cues: “Roll your top hand” · “Cup the ball with the toe” · “Stay low”
- Timing: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, 4 sets. First 2 sets top hand only.
Eyes Up Dribble
Stickhandle while looking at a spot on the wall, not the ball.
- Setup: Pick a spot on the wall at eye level.
- Good looks like: A side-to-side dribble with eyes on the wall, peeking down once every few seconds.
- Common mistake: Staring at the ball “just to check.”
- Cues: “Pick a spot on the wall” · “Feel the ball on your blade” · “Small, controlled moves”
- Timing: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, 4 sets. First 2 sets top hand only.
Forward-Back Dekes
Push the ball forward and pull it back, like faking a defender.
- Setup: Ball just in front of your toes.
- Good looks like: Push it forward about a stick-blade length, then pull it straight back.
- Common mistake: Pushing too far and having to chase the ball.
- Cues: “Quick push, quick pull” · “Stay low” · “Blade cups the ball”
- Timing: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, 3 sets.
Moving Dribble
Stickhandle while shuffling forward and back three steps.
- Setup: Clear about three big steps of space. Start in your stance with the ball in front.
- Good looks like: Three shuffles forward and three back, dribbling the whole way.
- Common mistake: The hands stop when the feet move.
- Cues: “Ball moves with you” · “Quick feet, soft hands” · “Head up”
- Timing: 30 seconds on, 35 seconds rest, 4 sets. First 2 sets top hand only.
How long and how often
Start with about 30 seconds on and 30 seconds rest, 3 to 4 sets per drill. Most of these drills do their first 2 sets top hand only, then switch to both hands.
A session is 3 to 5 drills. Aim for about:
- 12 minutes for players under 10
- 15 minutes for ages 10 to 13
- 20 minutes for 14 and up
Keeping your kid doing it
- Keep it short. A 12-minute session is easy to say yes to.
- Leave the gear out where your kid will see it.
- Make it a game. Count clean reps or beat their own time.
- Praise effort, not perfection.
If you'd rather not be the one running the timer, that's what Puckmaxxing is for: guided off-ice hockey training for kids, with 90+ drills and spoken coaching cues that tell your kid what to do and when to rest. See how it works for parents.
FAQ
What is the best way to practice stick handling at home?
Short, focused sessions on a smooth floor with a stick and a ball. Get the stance right first, then start with Wide Dribble, Quick Taps and Figure Eights. Begin with about 30 seconds on and 30 seconds rest, 3 to 4 sets per drill.
Can you practice stickhandling with a ball instead of a puck?
Yes. You need a stick, a ball or practice puck, and about 8 by 8 feet of floor. No net needed.
How long should a kid practice stickhandling at home?
About 12 minutes for kids under 10, 15 for ages 10 to 13, and 20 for 14 and up. That's 3 to 5 drills in a session.
What if my kid has no natural puck handling?
That's normal. Start slow with Wide Dribble, keep sessions short, and praise the effort. Soft hands come from lots of small, calm reps.
Is there an app that runs stickhandling sessions at home?
Puckmaxxing runs guided off-ice sessions for players 7 to 17, with 90+ drills and spoken coaching cues. It's coming soon to Google Play and the App Store. You can join the waitlist.
Get sessions like these, guided
Puckmaxxing is coming soon to Google Play and the App Store.
Join the waitlistSuggested exercise for young athletes, not medical advice. Stop if it hurts. Tell a grown-up.