Baseball and T-ball practice plan for 4 and 5 year olds (30 minutes)

⚾ Baseball and T-ball · ages 4–5 · 30 minutes · 10 players · 5 balls

1. 0:005 min

   Warm-up Warm-up

   Jog on the spot, Arm circles, Skipping. About a minute each, easy first, then a little bigger.

2. 0:055 min

   Drill Tee stations

   X playerO partner or defender— run- - pass∿ dribble

   Set up. A tee for every group of three, hitting toward a fence or an open field, groups well apart. Only the hitter holds a bat; the others stand behind a cone line. Gear: a tee, a bat and a bucket of soft balls a group. With your players that is 4 groups of about 3.

   1. The hitter hits five balls off the tee.
   2. The fielder rolls them back into the bucket.
   3. The waiting player watches from behind the line and calls 'ready' when the field is clear.
   4. Rotate: hitter to fielder, fielder to line, line to hitter.

   Say: “Eyes on the ball” · “Step and swing” · “Bat down, then run”

   Easier: A bigger, softer ball on a taller tee. Harder: Hit to a cone: left side, then the middle, then the right.

3. 0:105 min

   Drill Run the bases, call the bases

   Set up. Everyone at home plate, spread out in a short column, two steps between runners. Gear: bases or cones in a diamond.

   1. The coach shouts 'go'; everyone jogs to first, touching it, and the whole team shouts 'first!'.
   2. Then second, third and home, shouting each one.
   3. Turn to the left round every base, never across the middle.

   Say: “Touch the base” · “Turn left” · “Shout it out”

   Easier: Walk it holding hands in pairs. Harder: The coach calls a base and everyone runs to it from wherever they are.

4. 0:152 min

   Water Water break

   Everybody drinks, in the shade if there is some.

5. 0:174 min

   Drill Alligator ground balls

   Set up. Partners six steps apart. One rolls ground balls to the other. Gear: a ball a pair, gloves. With your players that is 5 groups of about 2.

   1. Feet wide, bottom down, glove open on the ground in front.
   2. The ball goes into the glove and the other hand closes on top like an alligator's mouth.
   3. Bring it up to your belly, then roll it back.
   4. Ten, then swap.

   Say: “Down early” · “Glove on the grass” · “Alligator snap”

   Easier: A big soft ball and no glove: two hands only. Harder: Rolls to the side, so the fielder shuffles first.

6. 0:216 min

   Game Everyone hits, everyone runs

   Set up. One team bats in order; the other team takes every position on the field. No outs. Gear: a tee, a bat, a soft ball, bases.

   1. Each batter hits off the tee and runs the bases as far as they can.
   2. The fielders get the ball and all run to the base it is thrown to.
   3. Every batter on the team hits once, then the teams swap.
   4. There are no outs and no score: it is to learn where the ball goes.

   Say: “Hit and run” · “Everyone to the ball” · “Throw to a base”

   Easier: The batter runs only to first; fielders roll the ball to a coach. Harder: Fielders try to get the ball to the base ahead of the runner, and say where it should go before the hit.

7. 0:273 min

   Cool-down Cool-down

   Reach for your toes, Butterfly. About a minute each, easy first, then a little bigger.

Every plan here has a water break, two in practices over an hour (our rule). On hot days the CDC says to drink more water than usual without waiting to be thirsty, to start slowly and build up, and to practice when it is cooler. cdc.gov: Heat and Athletes. Head knocks and concussion: read CDC HEADS UP, the CDC's page for coaches and parents. cdc.gov/heads-up