Hit the Bucket

 Everyone gets a ball, stands a reasonable distance away from a bucket at home plate. Everyone takes a turn to try to throw (proper form!) the ball and hit the bucket. Send the kids that hit it to the third base area, and the kids that don’t to first. After the last person goes, tell the bigger group to go tag the smaller group. Ideally only 1-2 kids hit the bucket, and everyone else chases them around the field. Adjust distance per level, or allow bounces,etc. Good game to end on.

Variation: Have a (large) stuffy to sit on top of the bucket, and try to hit that/knock it off. 

Skills: Accuracy, distance. 

Relay 

Half the kids line up at home, half the kids line up on the outfield side of second. Each team runs the bases at the same time, and the second kid can’t start running until the first runner touches the base.

Skills: Speed, hitting inside of bag when making a turn.

Fielding Race

2 teams in a line, behind first and third. Spread 1 (or 2) balls per kid around the infield triangle between the base, second, and the pitcher’s circle. One at a time they race to field a ball (correctly), and make a good throw to a coach on the foul line/home plate and races to back of their line. Second player can start when first fielder returns, or when coach catches the ball.  First team to field all the balls wins.

Skills: Fielding, quick transfers/fielding-throwing. 

Tag

“Sharks and Minnows”/”Panthers and deer”, A few kids with a ball, have to tag (ball in glove) everyone else, who run away around the infield. Add coaches as runners if need be. Runner who is tagged is out, retreats to side/foul territory. 

Variation: bases are safe, but only one runner can be on a base. Once all runners are safe or out, game ends.

Skills: Tagging fundamentals. 

Throwing contest

Each kid lines up on the foul line with a ball, and see’s how far they can throw. Furthest throw wins–let the kids decide who’s the furthest. Line up again where the furthest ball was and repeat, throwing back towards the foul line. 

Skills: Throwing.

Home Run Derby

Use the tee at home plate, each kid takes a turn to take a good swing and hit the ball solidly, then puts a ball on the tee for the next kid and goes back behind the backstop. Farthest ball wins. 

Variation: Play a second round, but the kid who won the first round gets a glove and goes to stand behind where their softball landed. That player can win the second round by catching every ball farther than theirs.

Skills: hitting.

Pop-Fly Knockout

Line up in a line, or horizontally. Can be a throw or a short fly ball. If they drop it they’re out. Go through the line until only one is left. 

Skills: catching.

Good Hop, Bad Hop

Kids in a line, coach a reasonable distance away facing them off to the side. Coach bounces a ball, and the first kid has to field it after one hop/on one hop. Misses, drops, bobbles are out. Field it above your knees you’re out. Underhand lob back to coach. Last one standing wins. 

Advanced:  If they make it through the line without anyone dropping it, next round is back-hand. Bad flip back to coach, you’re out. No glove. 

Skills: Fielding, approach.

21 Outs

Fielding line. Coach hitting, or pitching machine. Fast-paced. Can split into two teams to see who can get the longest streak of outs. An out is a cleanly field ball, and a good throw to a coach. More margin for error for younger groups. Set a timer for 2 minutes, and each player on the team rotates through the fielding line trying to make a clean play. 1 point for each out. Score resets on an error. Your team’s score is the longest streak of outs. 

Skills: fielding, approach, throwing.

Hitter-Fielder

Two teams: Helmets on. One hitter, one against the backstop behind home plate. Hitter takes a swing off the tee and runs. Fielder has to race to get it. Hitter’s team gets a point for each base touched before the fielder picks up the ball. 

Advanced: Fielder has to make a throw in towards pitching circle. 

Skills: Urgency/speed. 

Linemaster

Two or three teams. Place a bucket in the pitching circle. Linemaster on base, facing a horizontal line of fielders on her team on the outfield grass. Throw and catch with each teammate in order until the Linemaster has successfully thrown and catch a ball from everyone. Linemaster goes to the end of the line and next girl is Linemaster, repeating the process. Once everyone has successfully been Linemaster, the last person has to run the ball to the mound and put it in the bucket. 

Advanced: If anyone drops a ball, start again at the beginning of the set of girls. 

Skills: Throwing/Catching. 

Questions, comments, thoughts: admin@midlandparksoftball.com