The best tee ball games for kids teach one real baseball skill at a time while keeping everyone moving: fielding games like alligator chomp, throwing games like knock the cone, hitting games off the tee and baserunning games like red light, green light. Short games in quick stations keep 4 to 6 year olds focused far better than long drills. The chart below lists 15 games, what each one teaches and the equipment you need.
Tee ball games for practice
15 games that teach real baseball skills
Tagged by the skill each game builds: fielding, throwing, hitting, baserunning or teamwork.
1
Alligator chompKids field rolled grounders with their glove open like a gator’s mouth and chomp down with the top hand.Equipment: soft balls
FIELDING
2
Hot potatoPlayers field a grounder and get rid of it fast with a quick throw to a partner.Equipment: balls, gloves
FIELDING
3
Pop fly contestToss tennis balls high and award a point for every catch.Equipment: tennis balls
FIELDING
4
Simon says ready positionCoach calls out ready position, glove down and alligator; kids follow only when Simon says.Equipment: none
FIELDING
5
Knock the conePlayers throw at cones set on the ground; every cone knocked over scores.Equipment: cones, balls
THROWING
6
Bucket tossThrow into a bucket from increasing distances to build aim.Equipment: buckets, balls
THROWING
7
Partner catch ladderPartners step back one big step after every good catch.Equipment: balls, gloves
THROWING
8
Target hittingHit off the tee toward colored cones; different cones are worth different points.Equipment: tee, cones
HITTING
9
Home run derbyEach hitter gets a set number of swings off the tee; farthest hits win.Equipment: tee, balls
HITTING
10
Tee and runHit off the tee and run to first, practicing dropping the bat and running hard.Equipment: tee, bases
HITTING
11
Red light, green lightPlayers run the bases on green and freeze on red.Equipment: bases
BASERUNNING
12
Base raceTwo runners start at opposite bases and race around the diamond.Equipment: bases, stopwatch
BASERUNNING
13
Run through firstPractice running through first base instead of stopping on it.Equipment: bases
BASERUNNING
14
Sharks and minnowsMinnows run from base to base while sharks try to tag them.Equipment: bases
BASERUNNING
15
Around the hornThe team throws the ball around the bases as fast as possible and tries to beat its record.Equipment: balls, gloves, bases
TEAM
Keep each game to 5 to 10 minutes; kids ages 4 to 6 learn best in short, fast stations.
Sample One Hour Tee Ball Practice
| Time |
Block |
Games |
| 0 to 5 min |
Warm up |
Red light, green light |
| 5 to 15 min |
Fielding station |
Alligator chomp and hot potato |
| 15 to 25 min |
Throwing station |
Knock the cone |
| 25 to 40 min |
Hitting station |
Target hitting off the tee |
| 40 to 50 min |
Baserunning |
Run through first and base race |
| 50 to 60 min |
Team finish |
Around the horn, then a team cheer |
Tips for Running Tee Ball Games
Keep lines short so no child waits more than a minute or two, and use soft or safety balls for the youngest players. Split the team into small groups with a parent helper at each station, and rotate every 10 minutes. Praise effort more than results; at this age the goal is for kids to have fun and want to come back next season.
Related
Tee ball coaching guide · Baseball glove size chart · How late is too late to start baseball
Little League offers free coaching resources for tee ball, and USA Baseball publishes youth practice plans.
