Baseball Practice Drills for Kids

Even at a young age, kids want to emulate their favorite baseball players. They start developing their skills playing T-ball and continue to practice through Little League and into high school. There are many aspects to the game of baseball that require attention. Performing specific drills for hitting, baserunning, infield defense and outfield defense will help kids mature into productive baseball players.

  1. Hitting

    • Young kids aren't the only ones who can benefit from hitting off of a tee.

      Kids may think that once they graduate from T-ball that hitting off a tee is childish. This couldn't be further from the truth. Even professional players use a tee to hone their hitting skills. Hit a handful of baseballs off the tee, moving the tee to the inside, center and outside of the plate to simulate different pitch locations. Adjust the height of the tee to represent high or low pitches. This drill helps kids get a feel for swinging at pitches that may be on the corners of the strike zone.

    Baserunning

    • Kids can pick up some infield hits if they always sprint hard to first base.

      Mastering the nuances of running the bases can be accelerated with the help of some practice drills. One of the first things a kid needs to learn when playing baseball is running hard through first base. One drill for improving this concept starts with all kids lined up at home plate. The players swing the bat and take off on a sprint toward first. As they approach the base, the first-base coach will yell "Go!" or "Dugout!" "Go" signals the child to round the base and sprint to second. "Dugout" tells the runner to sprint past the bag and peel off toward the dugout. This drill teaches kids to run hard to first and also improves their recognition of coach commands.

    Infield

    • Fielding grounders helps kids develop a key skill to being an infielder.

      One of the keys to playing infield is handling groundballs, knowing where to throw the ball and making an accurate throw. Start with two lines of players at the shortstop and second base positions. Have one fielder at first base and one at third base, each with a bucket. Alternate hitting groundballs to shortstop and second base. Shortstops throw the ball to first base while second basemen throw the ball to third base. This drill improves fielding and throwing techniques. To improve fielder recognition, call out the base you want the player to throw the ball to while the ball is on the ground.

    Outfield

    • Children can study how professionals react to fly balls.

      There are many aspects to being a good outfielder. One key attribute is the ability to judge how deep fly balls are hit. To improve this skill, set up a rectangle of cones about 20 yards long and 10 yards wide. Start with kids in a line facing a coach. The coach hits or throws a ball to the other side of the rectangle, and the child must track down the ball using proper techniques -- locating the ball, running back and positioning their gloves. When all players have gone back on a ball, they will be on the opposite side. Now throw or hit the ball in front of the kids and have them practice charging in on a fly ball.