I'm new to the hockey coaching scene and I wanted to get some advice from the more experienced coaches out there.

I recently initiated a hockey league for 1st and 2nd graders in a local elementary school. It's a clinic/league. We offer an hour of play time per group. Most of these kids have little, if not no idea how to play.

2 questions:

1. How much time should I devote to "instruction/drills" and how much to "scrimmaging"?

2. How many of these little guys should I have on the court at once (oh yeah, it's floor hockey in a gym out here)- 4, 5 or 6 (plus a goalie)?

Thanks for your help!

There is a saying that practice is where you learn and games are where you show what you have learned. First you doing a heck of a good thing. At 5-6 years old i would instruct on basic fundamental. Make sure they have proper equipment, understand how to give/take a pass. Then maybe some position play--"what does a winger do? A center? Then let them play and have fun