Tee Ball Backyard Batting Practice

A batting tee (or a tall cone with a ball balanced on top)

A foam or plastic bat — lightweight so it is easy to swing

Wiffle balls or soft foam balls (at least 3-4 so you are not chasing one ball constantly)

A baseball glove (optional but fun)

Towels or small cones to mark bases

Set the tee on flat ground with a wide open space in front for hitting. Make sure no one is standing in the hitting zone.

Place a ball on the tee at your child's waist height.

Teach the stance: feet apart, knees soft, eyes on the ball. Grip the bat with both hands.

Demonstrate a smooth, level swing. Step with the front foot and follow through.

Let your child take a few air swings to feel the motion, then put the ball on the tee.

Swing and hit. Any contact is a win at first. After 10 swings, the form starts to click.

Switch to fielding: toss or roll the ball and let your child catch it and throw it back. Focus on using two hands to catch.

Set up bases with towels. Hit the ball, then run the bases — it turns batting practice into a real game.

Take turns hitting and fielding. Everyone practices everything.

Finish with a bucket challenge: set a bucket 10 feet away and see who can hit the most balls into it.

Foam or wiffle balls are essential — they travel less distance and hurt less if someone gets bonked. Save real baseballs for older kids with experience.

If the tee is too high or low, the swing becomes awkward. Take 30 seconds to adjust it to belly-button height.

Avoid coaching too many things at once. Pick one focus per session: grip, stance, swing path, or follow-through. Not all four.

Catching is scary for new players. Start with underhand tosses from very close range and gradually back up.

Praise effort and contact, not distance. A kid who squares up the ball consistently is building the foundation for a powerful swing later.