Baseball is a difficult game that requires quite a bit of skill, hand-eye coordination, strength and manual dexterity, but these characteristics are difficult for 5-year-olds. When introducing young people to the game of baseball, it is best to keep things simple and fun.
Alligator Drill
One thing that should be taught to the youngest players is to catch the ball with two hands. This is particularly true of ground balls. Teach youngsters to go after grounders by putting the bare hand over the ball once it is in the glove. This is called the alligator drill because the process of coming down with the bare hand on the ball is similar to an alligator closing its jaws when it bites. Hit ground balls to your players, and give them a reminder by saying “alligator” to remind them to use two hands for grounders.
Throwing Drill
Teaching youngsters to throw will take a while, but you can teach them the basics of a good throwing motion by telling them to “bring your thumb to your thigh and raise your fingers to the sky. This teaches them that they must make a circle with the arm to throw well because they touch the thumb to the thigh, then raise the hand high overhead and point their fingers to the sky before throwing. Say these words often when teaching players to throw. Then, have the players say the words as they throw.
Batting Tee
One of the most important aspects is teaching youngsters how to develop a good swing. Hitters of all ages and levels of youth baseball use batting tees. Five-year-olds usually need to be taught the proper way to hold the bat and the best stance to take, and a tee is ideal for teaching them how to swing level. Young hitters who want to hit the long ball find out quickly that if they swing up at the ball when it is on the tee, they will pop it up. Hitters should be taught to concentrate on the rear, center portion of the ball and to take a short stride before taking a level swing.
About this Author
Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who’s Better, Who’s Best in Football — The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
