Baseball and T-ball practice plan for 6 and 7 year olds (45 minutes)

⚾ Baseball and T-ball · ages 6–7 · 45 minutes · 10 players · 5 balls

1. 0:007 min

   Warm-up Warm-up

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

2. 0:078 min

   Drill Step and throw

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

   Set up. Partners face each other in two lines, close to start: four steps for the youngest, eight for the oldest. Gear: a ball a pair, gloves, soft balls for the youngest. With your players that is 5 groups of about 2.

   1. Point your glove side at your partner.
   2. Step toward them with your glove-side foot, throw, and follow through.
   3. The catcher shows a target with the glove by the chest.
   4. Ten good catches, then one step back.

   Say: “Point and step” · “Throw to the chest” · “Two hands catch”

   Easier: Throw underhand with a soft ball, and catch with two hands and no glove. Harder: Catch and throw quickly, counting how many in thirty seconds without a drop.

3. 0:158 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.

4. 0:232 min

   Water Water break

   Everybody drinks, in the shade if there is some.

5. 0:258 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.

6. 0:338 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. 0:414 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