How to Teach Kids to Throw a Baseball

Many children learn to play catch at a young age, often in a manner that is incorrect or oversimplified. Good throwing requires the use of the entire body, not just the arm. Whether a child is learning to play a position on a little league team or just wants play catch in the backyard, good throwing mechanics will allow him greater speed and accuracy.

Instructions

    • 1

      Show the child how to grip the baseball. The best grip is along the narrow portion of the seams. The seams should be running horizontally, with the the pointer and index finger over the top of the seams. It takes a lot of practice to get the alignment right for each throw and may not be as important for younger players to learn right away.

    • 2

      Teach the child to use his wrist. Many children throw with a stiff wrist, but in reality, the wrist must be cocked back during the throwing motion. A good way to practice this is by telling the child to hold his throwing arm just above the wrist with his opposite hand. The throwing arm should be bent at the elbow with the forearm vertical. Keeping the arm is this position, have him practice throwing the ball with just his wrist and fingers. This is an important skill to work on right away, as it improves throwing accuracy.

    • 3

      Teach the child to throw in a circular motion. Depending on the distance he needs to throw, the arm must make either a larger or smaller circular motion. The circular motion should begin as soon as the ball is in his hand. The arm should start by the knee, pass below the hip, behind the ear, over the head and become fully extended before release. To make sure the child is throwing in a circular motion, have him freeze at certain points during the throw. If he brings his arm straight up and back, he is not using a good circular motion.

    • 4

      Tell him to use his front shoulder to point the ball in the right direction. The arm opposite the throwing arm should be facing the direction he wants to throw. The body should be turned sideways in the direction of the throw.

    • 5

      Make sure his lower body is aligned with his upper body. Just like the shoulder, the lower body also faces the target. Their back foot should be perpendicular to the target. The child must step toward the target with his lead foot, push off his back leg, and throw the ball using his entire body.

      (reference 1)