I have to disagree on the flag football being safer. My sons played flag football where we lived prior to moving to VA. There were way more injuries without the pads. I saw more head injuries, busted mouths, teeth knocked out (even with a mouthpiece in), and broken clavicles were often seen. Kids still collide hard into each other in flag football and there is nothing there to protect them. I'm of the opinion to play with pads and try to teach correct technique in tackling and blocking. This was when they were 5-7 years old, then they went into pads at eight.