What Size Glove for 8-year-old? A Complete Guide to Help You Choose

It can be overwhelming trying to buy your kid a new glove.

Especially if you don’t want to get a cheap one, you want to make sure you’re getting a quality youth baseball glove and one that fits. When buying baseball gloves, I recommend always buying one made of genuine leather.

With just a few more dollars spent, a quality glove is well worth it and will get you years of use. At the same time, a cheaper glove might not last a season and is at risk of breaking.

What to look for when buying a glove for an 8-year-Old

The number one thing to do when buying your kid a glove is to get one that fits! A too-small glove will be rugged for a kid to learn how to catch and field.

A too-big glove will alter their learning of how to squeeze their hand in a glove.

A huge glove stunts growth in learning the ability to catch and field a ball.

Kids in the learning ages of baseball between 5 and 8 need to practice the fundamentals of catching and fielding.

Having a glove that is too big or too small hinders their ability to learn proper technics.

Glove Sizes for 8-year-olds

At eight years old, kids who played a year or two of baseball are ready for a more quality glove. So, what size glove for an 8-year-old?

An 8-year-old needs a glove anywhere between 10 ½ to 11 inches.

An 8-year-old can use it at this length in both the infield and outfield.

All while still learning proper technics of using their hand inside the glove when fielding and catching a baseball.

A 10 ½ to 11-inch glove is the perfect size for almost any 8-year-old.

If you are in a hurry and want to check out the gloves list, be sure to head over to our best youth baseball gloves post.

What is the best glove for an 8-year-old?

The best youth gloves for an 8-year-old are ones that fit. It should feel comfortable and an extension of the arm.

Not one that feels heavy and hard to squeeze. Get a glove made of quality material, i.e.,

Leather baseball gloves. It also helps if the glove has new technology. T

hese include flexibility, extensive webbing, a big pocket, and soft leather.

The best thing to do is take your kid somewhere that sells gloves and have them try them on.

Have them squeeze the glove. Hold it high as if they’re catching a fly ball and down on the ground like a grounder.

Maybe practice with a baseball too in store to see how it feels. Don’t just buy any glove online without ever having your kid try it on.

Make sure the glove pocket is big enough, and the glove’s weight isn’t too much for an 8-year-old to handle.

The best baseball glove is the one that feels the most comfortable.

It doesn’t have to be expensive, but make sure it’s also not cheap. You will be able to tell the difference.

Try and pick one in between, especially if your kid is still learning how to use a glove.

When it comes to brands, the best gloves are made by Wilson and Rawlings. Mizuno and Nokona also make great gloves as well.

You can find Wilson gloves everywhere, though, and, in my opinion, they have the best options for the quality.

Rawlings also has excellent gloves, but their kid gloves aren’t made as quality as Wilson gloves are.

You can get a high-quality Wilson glove for somewhere around $60-$75. Or an even better one in the $130 range.

At this price point, the glove will last several years. As your kid gets older, the glove can still be used in the infield and practice if you get one closer to the 11-inch range.

What size baseball glove should kids use?

Typically, most kids at the age of eight can wear a glove that is 10 ½ to 11 inches. This would give them the most versatility to use in both the infield and outfield.

Make sure baseball gloves this size also isn’t too big or too small as they learn to use a glove.

Wilson, Rawlings, and several glove makers offer different glove sizing charts, but most have a range of 8 – 10 years old.

Specifically, for an 8-year-old, you want to look at the smaller end of those charts. It may even be worth considering softball gloves if you are 8 years old.

A glove for an 8-year-old should fall into the below sizes if you are looking at gloves specific by position. Again, 10 ½ – 11 inches will do fine for multiple jobs.

Glove Size Chart: 8–10-year-old

Age	Position	Glove Size (Inches)
8	Infield	10.5 – 11
9	Infield	10.75 – 11.25
10	Infield	11 – 11.5
8	Outfield	10.5 – 11
9	Outfield	10.75 – 11.25
10	Outfield	11 – 11.5
8	Pitcher	10.5 – 11
9	Pitcher	10.75 – 11.25
10	Pitcher	11 – 11.5

As you can see, you don’t need to get very technical about a quarter to a half-inch by position.

For an 8-year-old, a 10.5 – 11-inch glove will do great for all positions besides catcher and first base. In addition, at age 8, a 10.5 – 11-inch glove is perfect for learning multiple positions.

And as your child gets older, a glove of 10.5 – 11-inches can still be used in the infield or as a backup glove, especially if you get one at 11-inches. That size can last for several years.

Having purchased multiple gloves in my lifetime, the best thing to do is have your child try one on! Use this size chart or 10.5 – 11-inch as your starting point for your 8-year-old.

How do I know what size glove my kid needs?

Each child has different size hands and different abilities on using a glove. The best thing to do is have your child try on a glove before buying it.

See how easy or difficult it is to squeeze the glove while their hand is inside.

How heavy does it feel on their hand? Is it hard for them to hold the glove up? Toss them a ball and see if they can move it and squeeze it to catch the ball.

A glove purchase should be meaningful. It should be like buying shoes.

You wouldn’t want shoes that are too big or too small, would you? The same goes with a glove. It needs to fit right, or it will be much more complex and more frustrating learning and playing baseball.

Youth Glove Sizing For an 8-Year-Old

Use the 10.5 – 11-inch as a starting point for your 8-year-old. And with each year they get older, add .25 – .50 inches to the size they need. I wouldn’t suggest purchasing a glove every year your child gets older. Instead, pick one in a range that fits now but will still fit in a year or two.

If your 8-year-old’s hand is more minor, get the 10.5-inch glove size. If they can handle squeezing a 10.75 or 11-inch, opt for that size so they can also wear it as their hands get bigger.

Use the chart previously shown as a guide but make sure your child wears the glove first and that they are strong enough to squeeze the glove pocket.

Some gloves may show the same glove size as another, but they will feel different. Different brands and different qualities of leather will make a glove feel different.

Use the glove size chart as a guide as you have your child try on different gloves.

What does an 8-year-old need for baseball?

It can be overwhelming knowing what to get your child when baseball season starts. So many glove and bat, and cleat options. What color pants, socks, do they need a belt?

All these questions arise when you sign your child up for baseball. What all does your 8-year-old need for baseball?

Here is a list of everything your 8-year-old needs for baseball:

• Glove (10.5 – 11-inches)
• Baseball Bat (25-28 inches, 15-17 ounces)
• Batting Gloves
• Baseball Pants
• Baseball Socks
• Belt
• Hat
• Cleats

Check with your team coach about what color pants to get. Usually, white, gray, and black are the only three options. Also, find out your team colors and get a belt and socks of that color.

If you are not issued a team hat yet, any baseball hat at practice will do.

As for cleats, make sure your child tries them on just as they would when buying a shoe. Some feel bigger or smaller than others.

Please make sure they are comfortable as your child will be wearing them for long periods and running in them.

Tips When Buying a Glove for An 8-Year-Old

Below are some other suggestions that have helped me find the best gloves for my kids:

Test out different models 

I can’t stress enough how important it is to have your child try on gloves before buying for a young baseball player.

Practice catching a ball and moving their hand around before buying.

Then, check how well it fits and how easy it is to squeeze.

How heavy or light it is. If the glove is comfortable and your child likes how it feels, it should be good.

A glove size 10.5 – 11-inches is a perfect starting point for any 8-year-old. It gives them the ability to play multiple positions and to have the glove for several years.

Invest in Quality and a Game Ready Glove

Don’t skimp on cost either. I’m not saying to buy a $150+ glove for your child that young, but don’t get a $20 glove either.

You can tell when holding it if the glove is cheaply made on a player’s hand.

Not being made of leather will not last and most likely break when your child uses it.

It’s also not safe to use a cheap baseball glove as it will hurt your child’s hand or break when they try and catch a ball.

Look for a glove in the $40-$100 range. Most gloves in this range at that age are made of leather and good quality and fit a player’s hand comfortably.

Stick with Big Baseball Glove Brands

You can’t go wrong with Wilson or Rawlings, especially at the higher end of that price point.

Overall, get a glove in the 10.5 – 11-inch baseball glove range and made of leather with a deep pocket, easy to squeeze, and a break-in.

Have your child try it on and test it out. A glove is an exciting and meaningful purchase.

Don’t Worry About a Glove for Specific Positions.

Unless your 8-year-old is a catcher, you will want to make the youth baseball gloves you buy can work for various little league positions. Younger children typically play all over the baseball field, so you will want a glove that works for outfield play and infield play. Some youth softball gloves may be worth considering if you give your 8-year-old a more oversized glove pocket.

Consider a Glove with an Index Finger Slot

One feature that I have seen help with glove control is the youth baseball gloves with index finger slots.

If your 8-year-old has a small hand using, they can use their index finger to help get more control over their glove.

Summary

It can be tricky finding the best baseball gloves for an 8-year-old with so many options on the market today for young players.

While it may be tempting to buy a baseball glove that may be a size up, remember that kids at this age are growing so quickly you need to buy a youth glove that fits correctly. If you have played baseball, you know how important a comfortable glove is to your performance.

A young baseball player is still trying to learn the fundamentals of baseball at 8 years old, and a well-fitting baseball glove can make all the difference in helping boost confidence.

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