Baseball is a popular sport for kids in Canada, and it's important for young players to develop their skills through practice and drills.
In this blog, we'll explore some exciting baseball drills tailored for kids, specifically designed to enhance their abilities on the field. Whether your child is just starting or has been playing for a while, these drills will help them take their game to the next level.
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By incorporating these drills into your child's practice routine, they can develop the skills they need to become a better player and enjoy the game even more.
Why Baseball Drills for Kids Matter
Before we dive into the drills, let's understand why these drills are essential for young athletes. For kids, baseball drills serve multiple purposes:
- Skill Development: Drills help children develop fundamental baseball skills, such as hitting, fielding, and pitching.
- Teamwork: Through drills, kids learn the importance of working together as a team, a crucial aspect of baseball.
- Confidence Building: Mastering a skill through drills boosts a child's self-confidence, motivating them to excel in the sport.
- Fun and Engagement: Engaging in structured drills can make learning fun and exciting, encouraging kids to stay interested in baseball.
Now, let's explore some effective baseball drills that Slo-Pitch Central recommends for kids.
Essential Baseball Drills for Kids
1. Catching and Throwing Baseball Drills for Kids
- Two-Person Catch: Pair kids up and have them practice catching and throwing the ball to each other. This drill helps improve hand-eye coordination and throwing accuracy. Catching and throwing is always the best way to warm up for practice on the diamond.
- Catcher's Pop-Up: For those interested in the catching position, practice pop-up drills. A coach can hit pop-ups to the catcher, enhancing their catching skills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2taaUfACcg&ab_channel=St.Mary'sColganActivitiesDirector
Try this Drill:
Throw a tennis ball to a batter standing in the box. The batter will hit the tennis ball lightly with their bat, to pop it up in the air. The catcher can then move from behind the batter and practice catching multiple pop-ups.
2. Hitting Drills
- Tee Work: Set up a batting tee and let kids take swings at stationary balls off the tee. This drill helps with proper swing mechanics and improves hitting accuracy.
- Emphasize the importance of a level swing and making solid contact. Encourage them to repeat this exercise to develop their hitting technique.
- Soft Toss: Have a coach or partner softly toss balls to the batter. Soft toss drills develop timing and hand-eye coordination.
- Ensure the toss is at an appropriate height for the player's age and skill level. This drill helps them work on their hand-eye coordination and get the feel for hitting moving balls.
https://youtu.be/rV3EQ5tHcNE?si=mEGHLrM3_OCtD07Z&t=54
3. Base Running Drills
- Base-to-Base Sprints: Encourage kids to practice running from base to base as quickly as possible. This drill enhances base running speed and agility. This drill will also help your child to understand and remember how to properly round the bases, touching the corner of each as they pass.
https://youtu.be/HE9RD3sxoBE?si=-6flSWN7NiuYs5H6&t=45
Try this Drill:
Set up bases on the field and have players start at one base and sprint to the next one. Focus on quick starts and sharp turns around the bases, emphasizing proper running form. Remind them to touch only the corner of each base as they round it. Time them to add an element of competition and improvement tracking.
- Sliding Practice: Teach the correct sliding techniques. Sliding drills are essential for safety and improving a player's ability to steal bases.
Try this Drill:
Create a designated area just for sliding practice, preferably with a soft surface. Teach kids how to perform feet-first and head-first slides safely. Emphasize proper technique, such as sliding with the appropriate leg leading and avoiding headfirst slides whenever possible. Practice sliding to bases, simulating in-game scenarios.
4. Fielding Drills
- Ground Ball Drills: Roll ground balls to kids and have them field them properly. This drill sharpens fielding skills and teaches the importance of getting in front of the ball.
Try this Drill:
Practice rolling ground balls to each player on the team. Instruct them to position themselves in front of the ball, get low, and use their glove to field it. Stress the importance of staying down and keeping the ball in front of them. Have them practice fielding grounders to their left and right, improving their overall fielding ability.
- Outfield Fly Balls: For outfielders, practice catching fly balls. Kids can improve their tracking and catching skills with this drill.
https://youtu.be/uY8YL1i2xCE?si=gPu060na9IwjpsgA&t=44
Try this Drill:
Hit fly balls to the outfielders or use a pitching machine to launch them higher in the air. Instruct the young outfielders to track the ball's flight and position themselves to make the catch. Emphasize catching the ball at the highest point possible and using two hands to secure the catch. Practice various types of fly balls, as well as line drives and pop-ups.
5. Pitching & Catching Drills
- Target Practice: Set up targets on the strike zone and have kids practise hitting them consistently. This drill improves pitching accuracy.
Try this Drill:
Place targets (such as hula hoops or painted strike zones) on the pitcher's mound or in the batter's box. Have young pitchers aim for these targets when pitching. This exercise helps them work on their control and accuracy. Encourage them to hit the target consistently and adjust their pitches as needed to improve their precision.
- Pitcher-Catcher Connection: Work on the pitcher-catcher relationship by practising pitch-calling and target positioning.
Try this Drill:
Pair up pitchers and catchers. Have them work together to understand pitch-calling and target positioning. The catcher can learn to give signs, and the pitcher can practice hitting the catcher's glove target. This drill enhances communication and teamwork between your young pitchers and catchers.
- Receiving the Ball for Catchers: Practicing with a tennis ball is a great place to start. Have the coach or another player throw tennis balls quickly to the catcher so that they can practice receiving the ball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyzRadc-7_M&ab_channel=ReelRecruits
Conclusion
Incorporating these baseball drills for kids into your young athlete's training regimen will undoubtedly make a difference in their performance on the field. Remember, the key is consistency and patience.
With the right approach and guidance, your child can develop into a skilled and confident baseball player.
At Slo-Pitch Central, we are passionate about promoting slo-pitch, softball and baseball to athletes of all ages across Canada.
Start practicing these baseball drills for your kids, and watch your child's baseball journey flourish. Slo-Pitch Central-Pitch Central is here to support your family's baseball adventure every step of the way.
If you need to organize your baseball schedules all in 1 place, look no further than Slo-Pitch Central. Get started today by registering here.
