Playing Little League Baseball is a great way for kids to learn the value of teamwork and to make some new friends as well. Little League tries to emphasize the game itself over competition, but every player wants to do their best and contribute to a winning team. That is why parents should get involved and help their Little League players to practice baseball at home and develop good baseball habits.

Hitting

Good hitting requires strong hand-eye coordination, which is something Little League players are still developing. There are a couple of Little League practice tips parents can use at home to help kids develop the coordination and swing they need to knock the ball out of the park.

The first exercise involves taking a real, wooden bat and drilling a hole about two inches from the hitting end with a 1/4-inch drill bit. Then you would take a tennis ball and punch a hole in very carefully using a screwdriver. Cut a piece of strong twine about three feet in length and tie one end to the bat and the other end through the ball. Now your Little League slugger can practice making contact with the ball without breaking the neighbor’s windows.

The other exercise involves another tennis ball and an outside wall. It is best to use a wall that is not part of the house to avoid making anyone angry. The drill is to simply play handball against the wall using the tennis ball and develop the hand-eye coordination needed to make good contact with a baseball.

Running

The best Little League practice tips are drills that work on developing skills that your child still has not quite developed yet. For running drills, your child needs to develop coordination in running side to side, along with speed for running in a normal fashion.

Side-stepping is an exercise where the child moves side to side by stepping one foot over the other and picking up speed as they go along. Make sure that they work on side-stepping to the left and to the right to develop the balance and coordination necessary to step off first base and steal second.

Catching Fly Balls

If you want to have a little fun with your child while you help them practice baseball at home, then there is a drill you can use to practice catching fly balls that is sure to improve your child’s abilities. Instead of baseballs, you would use water balloons filled with water. To catch the balloons, you would give your child a bucket.

The purpose of this drill is to get the child used to fighting the sun and positioning themselves properly to catch a fly ball. After a few soakings from missed water balloons, your child will quickly appreciate the patience it takes to get under a fly ball and catch it properly.

Little League Baseball gives your child a chance to be part of a team that relies on each other to win and have fun. To help your child be the best player they can possibly be, it is essential to take the time to practice baseball drills at home and help your child develop the skills they need to compete.