This is Lesson 2 of the Cricstars Under-10 Cricket Starter Plan. After children have started watching, hitting and catching in Lesson 1, we now introduce bowling through targets.
Bowling can become confusing if we start with too much technique. Run-up, jump, front arm, release, follow-through that is a lot for a young child. For under-10 players, the best starting point is simple: straight arm, step forward, aim at the target.
Lesson 2 is not about speed. It is about rhythm, direction and confidence.
What children bring from Lesson 1
In Lesson 1, children learned to watch the ball, use the bat, catch softly and enjoy contact with the ball. That confidence matters here. A child who is comfortable with the ball is more willing to try bowling without fear of getting it wrong.
Session goal
By the end of this lesson, children should understand that bowling is a straight-arm action towards a target. They should be able to bowl from a standing or one-step position and enjoy trying to hit stumps, cones or buckets.
Recommended setup
- Duration: 45 to 60 minutes
- Equipment: soft balls, tennis balls, stumps, cones, buckets or hoops
- Space: safe lane with enough distance between bowlers
- Safety: one bowler per lane, all children behind the line
Warm-up: Stork balance tag
Children move inside a safe area. When tagged, they stand on one leg like a stork for five seconds before returning to the game.
This is fun, but it also builds balance. Bowling needs balance on the lead leg and control through the action.
Activity 1: Windmill bowling
Start without a run-up. Ask children to stand side-on, point the front shoulder or front arm towards the target, then make a big straight-arm circle over the top like a windmill.
The ball should travel towards the target. If it bounces too early or goes sideways, keep the correction simple.
Use only one cue at a time:
- Big straight arm.
- Step towards the target.
- Finish tall.
Activity 2: Bowler Goaler
Set up stumps, cones, buckets or hoops. Children bowl and score points for hitting or landing near the target.
This turns bowling into a game. Children are not thinking about technical failure. They are thinking about a target, which naturally improves direction.
Scoring idea
- 3 points for hitting the stumps or bucket
- 2 points for passing through the cone gate
- 1 point for bowling with a straight arm
Activity 3: One-step bowling
Once standing bowling looks comfortable, add one step. The child steps forward with the front foot and bowls over the top.
A full run-up is not needed yet. The one-step method helps children feel body weight moving towards the target.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Allowing throwing instead of bowling: keep reminding them straight arm.
- Starting with a long run-up: most children lose control when they run too early.
- Only rewarding wickets: reward good action and direction too.
- Too many children bowling at once: keep safety clear.
Progress markers
- The child bowls with a straighter arm.
- The child steps towards the target.
- The child can aim at stumps, cones or buckets.
- The child finishes more balanced.
- The child wants another chance to hit the target.
Home practice
At home, set up a bucket, chair, wall target or plastic stumps. Ask the child to bowl 12 balls. Count how many are straight-arm attempts, not just how many hit the target.
This keeps practice positive and useful.
How this prepares for Lesson 3
Bowling to a target teaches direction. In Lesson 3, children use that same target focus for fielding and throwing decisions. They learn where to throw, when to throw and how to help the team.
Previous lesson: Lesson 1: Batting and Catching Basics
Next lesson: Lesson 3: Fielding and Decisions
Back to the full Under-10 Cricket Training Plan
Minute-by-minute session plan
- 06 minutes: stork balance tag and light movement.
- 615 minutes: windmill bowling without the ball, then with a soft ball.
- 1530 minutes: Bowler Goaler target game.
- 3040 minutes: one-step bowling progression.
- 4050 minutes: team target challenge.
- 5060 minutes: cool down, celebrate best effort and explain how bowling links to fielding in Lesson 3.
What good bowling looks like at under-10 level
Good bowling at this age is not about speed or swing. It is about a child understanding that the arm should travel over the top towards a target. If the arm is mostly straight, the body steps forward and the child finishes balanced, that is a strong start.
Some children will naturally throw with a bent arm. Do not shame them. Demonstrate the windmill action and let them copy. Children often learn better by seeing and copying than by being corrected repeatedly.
How to adapt the drill
If children are struggling, move the target closer and make it larger. Use a bucket or cone gate instead of stumps. If children are confident, increase the distance or create smaller target zones. You can also give bonus points for straight-arm action, not just hitting the target.
Coach language that works
Use simple cues like big circle, straight arm, step to the target, and finish tall. Avoid too many technical words. Under-10 children do not need a lecture on load-up, gather, release position or front-arm mechanics. They need one clear image they can repeat.
Common coaching trap
The biggest mistake is rushing to a full run-up. Children often enjoy running in, but their action falls apart. Start from standing, then one step, then three steps. Control first, speed later.
Parent take-home version
Place a bucket, chair or plastic stump set against a safe wall. Ask the child to bowl 12 balls. Count how many were straight-arm attempts. Then count how many hit the target. This makes the child value the action, not only the result.
Continuity note
This lesson teaches aiming. Lesson 3 uses the same idea in fielding: once a child stops the ball, where should they throw it?
How to recognise real improvement in bowling
In this lesson, improvement may not look like wickets. A child may miss the stumps but still improve if the arm is straighter, the body is facing the target more often, or the release is becoming more controlled. This matters because under-10 bowling is a long-term skill. The early goal is to build a repeatable action that the child enjoys using.
Watch for rhythm. A child who starts from standing and bowls smoothly is often learning better than a child who runs fast and throws the ball from an awkward position. If the child can repeat a simple action five or six times, you have something to build on.
Group management tip
Bowling sessions can become messy if every child has a ball and bowls whenever they want. Create clear lanes. Put cones behind the bowling line. Children should wait behind the line, bowl only when called, then collect balls together after the coach says it is safe.
This small structure makes the session feel professional and keeps parents comfortable. It also helps children understand cricket discipline without making the session strict or boring.
Confidence script for struggling bowlers
If a child keeps throwing instead of bowling, avoid saying wrong again and again. Try this instead: That was a strong throw. Now lets try the cricket bowling arm big circle over the top. This keeps the child encouraged while still guiding the action.
For very young children, you can demonstrate beside them and bowl together. Say ready, big circle, step, bowl. Children often copy rhythm better when they do it at the same time as the coach or parent.