Flag football for 6-7 year olds is simplified on purpose. The field is smaller, the roster is smaller, and most leagues modify the rules to build skills before competition.
The basics: each player wears a flag belt with two flags attached at the hips. Instead of tackling the ball carrier, the defender grabs and pulls a flag off the belt. The moment the flag comes off, the play is over.
No contact, no tackling, no blocking below the waist.
First downs work the same as tackle football. The offense gets four downs (plays) to advance the ball ten yards. Make it, they get four more.
Fail, the other team gets the ball.
At ages 6-7, many leagues add these modifications: no blitzing or rushing the quarterback in the first year, so quarterbacks have time to throw. A minimum-play rule so every kid gets meaningful time, not just one play per half. Running is usually allowed in all leagues at this age.
Penalties your kid will see called: flag guarding (the ball carrier putting their hand or arm near their flags to prevent them from being pulled), blocking with extended arms, and out-of-bounds calls. Flag guarding is the big one for new players.
Teach your kid to run with the ball, not protect the flags. The effort to protect the flags almost always causes the penalty.
What parents get wrong: the offside line. In flag football, neither team can move until the ball is snapped. Parents who played tackle are used to watching the line of scrimmage; in flag ball the same rules apply.
Also, the no-contact rule applies to both teams. Defenders can pull flags but cannot push, trip, or grab clothing. If your kid is getting grabbed by the jersey instead of the flag, that is a flag-guarding or illegal contact call on the defense.
The point of flag football at this age is not wins. It is touches. Every kid who goes through a full flag football season and actually touches the ball regularly is ready for a real football education when tackle becomes an opti