Softball is an excellent activity to get your kids to spend time outdoors, and get along with friends, while also letting them experience the excitement of team sports. Below we look at the best time to start playing softball and some things to remember if you consider taking up the sport for your kids.
Tee-ball
Tee-ball is a sport that first came to light in the early 1950s. The primary purpose of inventing tee-ball was to make a more simplified version of softball and baseball as an introduction to kids to the games.
Teaching your child tee-ball can help him develop basic to intermediate skills and prepare him for softball later.
What’s the earliest and best time for my child to start playing softball?
It’s usually accepted that as long as they have the coordination and physical development to follow through with the sport, it shouldn’t be a bad idea for them to play it at a young age.
Although it’s recommended to play tee-ball as an introduction to the game. Tee-ball is intended to be played by kids aged 4-6. This will help them develop fundamental ball-game skills that will help in the games of softball and baseball.
How to introduce my kids to softball?
You can start by throwing softballs around the backyard or any other place with open space with your kids and gradually build their skills level by level.
You can give them pointers on how to swing the bat and better understand the game. Don’t try to make the game too complicated at first. Have your kids swing the bat until they get the hang of it, take some breaks, and have fun. Creating a weekly training program for your child will help retain consistency. Splitting the training days so that each day focuses on a particular skill.
Don’t forget to add break days between your child’s program. Resting helps muscles heal and grow better while reducing the risk of injury.
Safety
Softball is a low-impact sports activity, which means it’s mostly safe for kids to play. The main thing to remember is that all kids must be taught how to play safely and what equipment they should wear and use to protect themselves better.
Conclusion
If your child wants to play softball in the future, starting with tee-ball at a younger age would be a great idea. Teaching your child how to play tee-ball early in life can help build a good physique, stamina, and good habits later on.
Playing tee-ball will also help him learn all the fundamental skills like striking, pitching, catching, throwing, and the role of each position. Since tee-ball and softball are very similar, getting the hang of softball will not be a challenging task later in your child’s career.
When your child becomes a bit more mature, it will be an excellent time for him to start playing the more mature version of tee-ball, softball. After playing and practicing early in his childhood how to play tee-ball, it will surely be more comfortable and straightforward for him to play softball.