From Tee to First Base: Fun Baseball Drills Kids Actually Enjoy
Baseball is a complicated game with many nuances which can be endlessly fascinating for fans, players, and coaches who’ve spent years watching, playing, studying, and coaching it. Even though the game has been around for over 150 years, there’s sometimes unique situations that pop up that have never occurred. Because the game is complicated, it’s important to simplify it and make it fun for young kids who are just starting out. One way to hook a kid on baseball is to start with enjoyable drills that will hopefully make them want to learn the game at a deeper level as they grow older.
Why Fun Matters in Youth Baseball Training
Even professional baseball players mix light-hearted side games and competitions into their serious practices. Why? Partially because there’s plenty of downtime in baseball. Most of the teams sit in a dugout for half the game when they're playing offense. An average Major League Baseball game was 2 hours and 36 minutes in 2024. Unlike basketball, soccer, and hockey, where there’s continuous play, baseball has intermittent action that sometimes only involves a few people on the team on any given play. Performing the drills that help develop fundamentals can be monotonous. That’s why it’s a good idea to make sure there are entertaining activities built into practice. If the practices are too hard or too boring, kids could lose interest and stop playing.
Warm-Up Drills to Get Moving
To get loosened up and have some fun, try the warmup drills listed below.
Base Running Drills: For this drill, have a batter and players on first, second, and third base. The batter simulates a swing and runs to first. The runner on first base steals second base and the runner on second shuffles off the base toward third base, simulating what it would look like if the ball was fielded by an infielder and thrown to first base. Finally, the runner at third tags up and runs to home plate on a fly ball.
Shuffle Drill: For the shuffle drill, kids will shuffle 3 steps to their right, and with their legs shoulder width apart, bend over and put their hands on the ground with their palms up, simulating fielding a ground ball. Repeat the drill by moving back to your left. This drill helps kids figure out how to move partially down the baseline on a ball that could fall for a hit.
Three Player Relay: Three players line up about 10 yards apart from each other. The first player throws the ball to the middle player, who catches it and throws it to the last player, who then throws it back to the middle player. Repeat 10 times. This drill helps get your circulation moving, and it teaches kids how to throw and catch the baseball.
Throwing, Catching, & Hitting Drills for Kids
Any baseball drill can be adjusted for different age groups. Professional baseball players hit off a tee in the Winter but many of those same players learned how to hit by using a tee when they were first introduced to the game. The drills often don’t change as players get more experienced. Below are 3 drills that can help build confidence for beginning baseball players.
Extreme Catch: With a partner, line up 4 orange cones about 20 yards apart. One player catches the ball from their partner from 5 yards out and then runs back to the next cone. This continues until the player moving backwards gets to the last cone. When the player has finished going to the final cone, they return to where they started, catching the ball at each cone. The players switch positions for the second round.
Hitting Off a Tee: Placing the baseball on a tee and taking a swing at the ball is a great way to teach young kids how to hit. The tee, which is adjustable in height, should be set just above the player’s kneecaps. Each player should get 10 swings.
Selfies: Selfies are for beginners. Kids should line up spread apart. They start by just pounding the ball in their glove with their throwing hand 4 or 5 times. Their next move is to throw the ball in front of themselves at roughly eye level a few times and catch it. Their final throw is to toss the ball up, like a popup, above their head and then catch the ball. The goal is to see how many popups they can catch consecutively.
Game Based Drills for All-Around Fun
Kids love to play team games. It creates comradery and a united purpose. A good team game also can make baseball practice enjoyable. Below are some games you can try.
Knockout Hitting: In this drill, kids get a specified number of pitches to hit the ball under certain conditions. If they fail to meet the standard, they’re knocked out. For instance, each player gets 3 pitches. On the first pitch they might just have to hit the ball in fair territory. On the second pitch, perhaps the ball has to travel beyond the pitcher and on the third pitch, they have to hit the ball in the air. Whoever’s standing at the end wins.
Move the Ball: Each team has 3 players. Pick a designated spot to start and finish. For instance, both teams can start on the left field line, and they must finish at the right field line. Player 1 starts on the left field line and throws it to player 2, who can run as far out as they want. The only stipulation is that player 2 must catch the ball. If they don’t, you have to start over. After player 2 catches the ball, player 1 runs to the spot that player 2 caught the ball. Player 3 then runs out to catch a ball from player 2. That rotation continues until the team gets to the right field line. The team that finishes first is the winner.
Think Fast: For this game, each team has 4 batters. A coach, standing next to the plate, tosses 2 different color wiffle balls. While in the air, the coach calls out which color the batter must hit. If the batter successfully hits the ball color the coach called out, it’s worth 1 point. Each batter gets 5 swings. The team with the most points at the end is the winner.
Youth Baseball Gear Tips
It’s important to check the league guidelines for baseball apparel and equipment. For instance, metal cleats are usually not allowed in most types of youth baseball leagues. Below are some tips for buying gear.
Cleats: Some factors to consider when buying cleats are the type of field you’re playing on, your position, and what feels comfortable to you. An outfielder might want cleats that are flexible and allow for plenty of movement, while a catcher might want cleats that are heavy to support the squatting necessary during a game. A pair of sturdy, lightweight, breathable molded cleats, which are made of rubber, are a good option for all levels of play.
Glove: A glove is highly personal. What feels good for one player might not be a good fit for another player. Each position has a different type of glove. Catchers and first basemen have gloves with closed webs because it helps keep the ball from popping out. Infielders and outfielders typically have open webs because it’s easier to grab ball out of an open webbed glove and make a throw quickly. For a young player, find a glove that fits their hand. There are size charts for your hands that correspond with glove sizes. Make sure you know your hand size and find a glove that you like.
Uniforms: Your team will likely have uniform requirements. For practice, lightweight, breathable moisture-wicking pants and shirts will keep you comfortable. You can also consider wearing slide shorts, which can help protect you from scraping and bruising when you slide.
Baseball games are a great way to introduce new players to the sport. It can make learning how to play baseball less intimidating, and more enjoyable.