What are some good drills and footwork drills for kids 4 to 7 years old. Then what skill specific stuff is good.
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On the younger side of that age group, I think teaching them how to make it to the bathroom between innings is critical.
On a serous note, if you can get them to catch fingers up on more than 75% of catches, that is a good start. Discourage basket catches. Takes skill on both the kid throwing and the kid catching. Teach them to receive the ball effortlessly- don't stab at the ball. With throwing drills, keep them at a good distance - don't let them get too far apart where they are simply heaving the ball. I will caveat these recommendations with the assumption that you are dealing with regular 4-7 yo and not tiny Brice Harpers.
4 to 7? Zero drills. Lots of smiles. Lots of fun. Enjoy the game & develop a love for it. At 6 & 7 my son led the T Ball league in making sand castles at Shortstop.
The best drill for parents of players that age is to turn their frown around and buy the kid ice cream
The most important thing is they have fun and learn a few basics. My daughter didn't play until she was seven. She was still a top softball player.
I realized I can't figure out the four to seven thing from my son. He was on the tee at eighteen months (favorite toy). At three he was participating at his (five years older) sister's softball practices. He preferred her practices to playing tee ball. At seven he was very polished for his age from participating in 12u travel softball practices the previous year. I don't know who "they" is. But they say the younger kid is usually more talented due to the challenge of competing against the older sibling.
For footwork, play tag, touch football, soft frisbee and, hate to say it, $ockr. Skill specific - lots of bare hand catch with tennis ball/foam ball. Challenge to catch the tennis/foam ball thrown higher and higher. Everything is a game. Then, who can catch high throws with a glove. Then, who can get a grounder to stay in the glove, rolled harder and harder and further and further away from where they set up. Everything is a game. Do some rollers on grass and encourage diving. Everything is a game. Same with hitting. Challenge to hit further and further, whether off tee or soft toss. Forget about contact or mechanics. If challenged to hit as hard or as far as they can, natural swing movements will happen. Did I mention everything is a game?
Here's one I did with my kids at home from age 4 'til... still doing it as adults. ... Get someplace where there are glass windows. Use foam balls, toss or tee, let them hit as hard as they can. Tell them they win $5 if they break the window. Adjust the angle of pitching occasionally so they are trying to hit oppo to hit the window.
One of my sons still has now-adult friends come over and they will still go out in the back yard and try to break the window with the foam ball. I think they are getting closer.
Play catch. Agree, no basket catches. Throw harder and farther as you go.
Run bases. Hit the ball over the L screen.
You didn't send them to school just to have fun. Teach them the game.
My son was going yard when he was eighteen months old. Fortunately the people on the other side of the fence were friends. He put a lot of balls in their yard every day.
My son had a Little Tike shopping cart full of whiffle balls and dead tennis balls. Along with the tee and a bat were his favorite toys.
Rumor has it that one of the velo programs is working on a "toss for tots" program. Why wait until you are 8-9 for your weighted ball program, Your journey to 100 begins now!
Any hand eye coordination game, catch - baseball, football, Frisbee, plastic golf balls
Running up and down hills - normal kids stuff. Swim and Dive at the local pool summer swim program - does wonders for coordination, shoulder mobility and strength and you won't have to worry too much about them being near the water because they learn to swim.
Honestly, in retrospect the best thing that helped my kid's Baseball development from 4-7 was just playing multiple sports and being a kid who liked being outside a lot. Playing Basketball & Flag Football & Ultimate frisbee helped his agility & footwork way more than any drill would have. Same with swimming in terms of core strength & endurance.
The question is not specific enough. Are you asking how to work with a group of kids of that age group in a team or summer camp setting? Or how to develop your own kids as players?
DeWalt makes a nice drill. Makita. Probably start a 4u-7u on a Black and Decker to make sure they want to stick with it before investing in something higher end. . .
(Sorry, couldn't resist)
When he was five, I used a tennis ball to teach my son how to catch the right way. I think someone mentioned basket catches as a bad thing and that's correct. It doesn't work for any ball above the chest area.
Once he could catch, we worked on him catching pop ups.
We also used the tennis ball for him to hit in the yard as well. He would drag me outside every day. It was fun for both of us.
Son started little league at 8 never had fielding instruction until he went pro. (He was a shortstop) In retrospect he feels that was the best thing for his development . He just played (all types of sports and child hood games) he learned how his body worked , how it moved, how to control it . Just get to the ball,catch it,throw it . Figure out how to be quicker , smoother, foot work developed naturally. Leap,dive and imitate highlight plays
Then when they can do all that give them drills and instruction
Play whiffle ball in the front yard, back yard, with family during BBQ, w grandparents when parents are in Cabo, w friends all the time.... great hand eye, no one gets hurt!
I guess the training does not matter that much if you can identify as a youngster:
2forU posted:I guess the training does not matter that much if you can identify as a youngster:
hahaha... that thar was funny. Love the superimposed pic.
Develop the athlete then develop the baseball player
Juice Box Curls.