Baseball Drills for 7 and 8 Year Old – Best Practices
Baseball is one of the most favorite sports among kids. They’re passionate about learning and playing, but it can be very challenging for young players to master these skills to perform on the field. That’s why teaching baseball drills for 7 and 8 year old kids is essential.
Pro Tip
If you’re a parent or coach looking to improve your kid’s performance. Then teaching baseball drills to 7 to 8 year old’s is effective in developing their skills in hitting, throwing, and fielding. So they can learn and master skills with engaging and fun activities that keep them motivated.
Want to know about baseball drills for your kids? Read this article and learn the best baseball drills for 6 year olds. So, they can build the confidence and skills they need to become successful baseball players.
8 Best Baseball Drills for 7 and 8 Year Old
Explore the best baseball drills for 7 and 8 year old players. Teach young players so they can perform better in the field.
Pop-up Fielding Drill
If you’re teaching baseball to 7 year olds, practice the pop-up Drill. The drill is the same whether you’re playing with softballs or baseballs. Here’s how it looks:
First, line up the players and tell them to lie down on their bellies.
You need to stand about 20 feet away with a ball.
You will roll the ball towards the players in line, ready.
The player will immediately pop up, charge the ball, and throw it back to your way down the line.
You need to be ready to mix in a few pop-ups to keep the players on the toes of their cheats.
Sometimes the player may jump and stand before you call up ready.
So, remind them to wait for the signal because, in the actual game, the first step to fielding the ball is seeing where it’s going and then charging toward it.
Knee Ball Drill
In knee ball drills, players learn to read and field grounders in this game. To start practicing this drill, you need to grab a ball and stand 15 feet away from the player.
The players will get down on both knees without resting on their heels.
They place the fingertips of their gloves on the ground and take the position.
Then you roll a grounder to the player; once he fields the ball, he must throw the ball back to you without standing up or fully sitting down.
Then you need to work your way down, then make your way back, this time rolling backhanded grounders to the player that they need to catch into the glove.
Give players a point every time they cleanly field the ball, then challenge them to beat their score in the next round.
Sometimes the player may try to field grounders with one hand but remind them that the only way to make it’s by using both hands and snapping down on the ball like an alligator for four-handed catches and scooping the ball on plays to their backhand.
Tee Hitting Drill
If you’re looking for Baseball Drills for 7 and 8 Year old, then Tee hitting drills are the best way. In this drill, players turn ground balls and pop-ups into line drives in this game.
This drill requires a pair of hitters and a feeder; the hitter needs to be in the batting practice net, and the feeder needs to be ready with a bucket of balls.
The feeder places a ball on the Tee and steps away; the hitter takes a controlled level swing hitting a line drive right through the box.
After each swing, the feeder places another ball on the Tee, always keeping a safe distance away when the hitter is up to bat boom.
The hitter will go until the bucket is empty. Both players retrieve all the balls before switching positions.
However, some experienced players might ask why they’re not facing live pitching. So tell them that even players of major leagues make time for some teamwork to work on their balance, and it’s the best way to refine their swing without the pressure of facing actual pitching.
Self-Throw and Catch Drill
In the self-throw drill, the players are all on their own. The drill is the same whether you’re playing with softballs or baseballs. Here’s how it looks:
In the practice of this drill, players are spread out at a safe distance from each other everyone gets a ball and a glove.
On your call, players throw the ball to themselves and practice catching it.
They need to use their other hand and throw the ball into the glove to work on hand-eye coordination.
They need to catch it directly into their glove and then throw it into the air in front of them but not above their heads.
They should catch it with their gloves facing the sky right in front of them and let it fall into their gloves.
Then they need to throw a pop-up and catch it, making sure to turn their hand in the proper direction as they track the ball into their glove.
Also, if you’re training drills in the group, then challenge them to catch as many balls in a row as they can without dropping one, then see if they can beat their streak next time.
Base Relay Race Drill
In these baseball drills, 7 and 8 year old players race their way around the diamond. That’s why it’s called a base relay race. The drill is the same whether you’re playing with softballs or baseballs. Here’s how it looks:
In this drill, you need a group of players and then divide players into two equal teams, then divide each group into subgroups.
Suppose you’ve groups A and B, and the wash team has 4 players. Now divide each group of players into pairs.
One pair of teams A and B will go to the second base, and one pair of teams A and B will line up at the home base.
On your call, the first two players lined up at home start running toward the second one by going through first base and third base.
When they reach their destination, the runner’s high-five the teammate waiting for them, who takes off in the opposite direction sprinting to tag the next teammate in line at home.
The first team to complete all its legs of the relay wins the race.
The players get encouragement. However, it’s important to remember there’s a difference between being fast and quick. Some players are born fast, but anyone can learn to be quick if they round the bags correctly, keeping their heads down, arms pumping, and feet on the corner of the back.
Hula Hoop Relay Drill
Hula Hoop relay is best practice for little league drills 7 8 year olds. You need to practice this drill in groups and whether you’re playing with softballs or baseballs, the drill is the same. Here’s how it looks:
These drills require hanging two hula hoops about five feet apart on a fence.
Then use four cones to make a small square about 20 to 30 feet away.
Finally, place a bucket of balls in the middle, then set three balls at each of the four cones.
Then Divide the group into two equal teams, each lined up at the far cones.
On your call, the first players in line will step up to the cone in front of them to take turns throwing three balls at their hoop.
While the players are throwing the balls, the deck players should grab the next three balls so they’re ready to go.
The throwers get two points for hitting the fence and three points for hitting inside the target.
Everyone will get their turn, and the team with the most points wins the round.
Clean Up Crew Drill
This is one of the best baseball drills for 7 and 8 year old kids to enhance the throwing skills of players. However, this drill will be more effective in groups. Here’s how this drill works:
In this drill, use cones to create two adjoining rectangles zones.
One zone is inside the infield dirt, and the other is in the outfield grass, then place an equal number of practice balls in each zone.
Then divide groups in half with one team assigned to each zone.
Start the drill by calling both teams to try to clear all the balls out of their area.
The only way to do this is to throw them overhand into the other team’s area after a minute of call time; whichever team has fewer balls in their area is the winner.
Young players will love the chaos the cleanup crew creates. This is a low-pressure drill for them to get comfortable throwing overhand. They don’t have to worry about using the proper form just yet, just as long as the ball makes it to the other side.
Blast Ball
Blast ball is another best baseball drill for 7 and 8 Year old kids who’re beginners and want to learn the rules on the field. Here’s how this drill works:
First, divide your players in half, with one group for batting and the other for the field without gloves.
You’ll pitch for both teams, but instead of a metal bat, use a plastic one. Instead of a softball or baseball, use a practice ball.
The two groups will scrimmage like any softball or baseball game, with a few changes:
There are no strikeouts. Let each hitter keep swinging until they make contact with the ball.
If a ball lands in the outfield grass, it’s a home run.
The team with the most runs after three innings is named the Blast Ball World Champions.
Newbies will love this drill. It provides a chance to compete. The larger ball helps them feel safe while familiarizing themselves with the game’s rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the best baseball drills for hitting are tee work, soft toss, and blast ball. Your kids can improve hand-eye coordination and proper swing mechanics by practicing these drills.
While playing any sport, it’s very important to have teamwork and sportsmanship skills. You can encourage your kids or players to support other players. Also, you can conduct the drills session in groups. It’ll help young players develop these skills.
The best way is to include a mix of drills combined with other activities with some fun. So that the players can engage with interest and motivation. Also keep practice sessions short with breaks and opportunities for players to rest and hydrate.
Conclusion
Baseball isn’t an easy game, requiring lots of dedication and practice. However, if you want your players to improve their game performance, teach them the baseball drills for 7 and 8 year old kids. With consistent practice of these drills and hard work, young players can improve their game and perform best on the field.
