In youth basketball, you can teach kids a lot through simple, fun drills. Kids don’t even realize how much they’re learning about shooting form, ball handling skills or even triple threat position when it’s in the context of a tag or another familiar schoolyard game.  The trick, for a coach parent, is to leverage what kids already know, and then build on their knowledge with simple coaching tips.

These 10 youth basketball drills help you do just that.

Team Tag
Building agility and coordination is great fun in this schoolyard classic, which also helps players learn to change speed and direction while dribbling.

Mascot Tag
Players go wild for this fast-paced tag game. 

Snake
Let’ssss teach playerssss to communicate and move as a team, while developing agility and coordination.

Island Hopping
Pirates ahead! This activity helps players learn to get away from an attacker by finding open space.

Gates Dribbling
Open sesame! This dribbling activity helps with speed dribbling and turning direction with the ball.

Spelling Bee
This activity is F-U-N! Players work on proper shooting technique with a focus on teamwork.

The Floor Is Lava
A fiery favorite gets a basketball spin in this activity that combines cooperative play with learning passing fundamentals.

Globetrotters
Geography lesson, meet basketball practice. This activity helps players develop coordination and agility.

Hit the Cone
No hoop? No problem! Play basketball anywhere in this hoopless version of the sport. 

Ducktails
Watch your tail! This dribbling activity teaches players to keep their heads up and explode out of dangerous situations.

For more great basketball drills for kids, check out:

10 Best Basketball Drills for 6-Year-Olds

10 Best Basketball Drills for 10-Year-Olds

10 Best Basketball Drills for 12-Year-Olds