How much will my child play, and are scores kept?

US Soccer's small-sided player development philosophy recommends:

• Playing time: every player plays at least 50% of the time. At 4v4, having about 6 players per team keeps everyone involved; at 7v7, rosters should have no more than 12 players.
• Scores and standings: results and standings should not be recorded at U8 or U10.
• U8 teams: formal rosters and fixed teams aren't needed. Many programs run "in-house" so kids train and play with a variety of teammates.

These are best-practice recommendations rather than mandatory rules, so a league can choose differently.