A practice session with a purpose
Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.
What you are learning
How to practise instead of just playing: choose one thing to get better at, practise it alone in the game's practice mode, look at the result after each try, and try again. Players improve faster with a clear aim than with hours of free play.
Words on this card Practice mode, Session, Aim, Team-mate
- Practice mode
- A part of a game where you play alone, with no opponents, to practise one thing.
- Session
- One block of practice or play, with a start and an end time.
- Aim
- The one thing a player decides to work on in a session, said before it starts.
- Team-mate
- A team-mate plays on your side; an opponent plays against you.
Set up
The game's practice or training mode (no opponents); a timer.
Weather: any weather
Show it first for the one teaching
- Open the practice mode together and pick one small task, such as "land 10 jumps" or "score from the same spot".
- Say the aim aloud: "Today I will try to...".
- Do one try and look at the result on screen together.
Your part while they practise
Ask before the session: "what is one thing you will try?" and after: "what happened?"
Step by step
- Say a clear aim for the session.
- Pick a task the child can do alone.
- Look at the game's own result straight after each try.
- Try several times.
- Choose the next task with the child, a little harder or a little easier.
How much: 10 tries on one task 15 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Beat last time
Repeat the same task and compare with last session.
Who plays: the child against their own best.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Choose one task and keep it exactly the same each session
- 10 tries
- Count how many worked and write the number down
- Fair play
- When the count passes 8, make the task a little harder and start a new best.
- Points
- 1 point for each try that worked.
- Fouls
- The session does not count
- Changing the task halfway
- Drifting into free play
- Playing past the timer
- Winning
- Beat last session's count.
- 4 points for 1 star
- 6 points for 2 stars
- 8 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A slower or easier mode.
A narrower goal, such as the same shot ten times.
What you will see, and what to say
- the session drifts into free play
Say the one thing first
Back to the aim. - the child is frustrated
Take a break, then try again
Stand up for a minute.
Self-check
The child states the aim before and what changed after, 3 sessions in a row.
Stop and get a coach when
The child cannot stop when the timer ends, or sleep or school suffers; talk to a doctor or counsellor.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains purposeful practice, self-reflection.
awiseathlete.com/sports/esports/esports-b1