Your first 6U practice will include at least one girl picking dandelions in right field. That's not a coaching failure. That's 5 years old. You plan for it, and the hour gets a lot easier.
A good 6U softball practice plan runs about 45 minutes: a 5-minute wiggle warm-up, three 6-minute game stations with one cue each, a water break, a short everyone-bats game and a team cheer. Keep groups to three or four girls and use the softest ball your league allows.
Train it: 46/60 Coach Playbook ($59) → Free: Free Practice Plan Builder →The 45-minute 6U softball practice
Coach BK says "Less is more." At 6U, that means fewer drills, fewer words and more time with a ball in her hands.
| Minutes | What happens | The game |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 | Wiggle warm-up | Follow the Coach around the bases, then freeze tag |
| 5–8 | Water and groups | Three groups, one parent each |
| 8–26 | Three 6-minute stations | Bucket Toss, Tee and Run, Sticky Glove |
| 26–29 | Water break | In the shade |
| 29–40 | Everyone-bats game | No outs, everyone runs, everyone fields |
| 40–45 | Huddle and cheer | One thing each girl did well |
That's it. The Little League tee ball program is built on the same idea: one practice a week with lots of activity, and players rotating so nobody stands still.
Games, not lines: three stations with one cue each
A line of eight girls waiting for one tee is where the cartwheels start. Split into groups of three or four so each girl gets a turn every 30 seconds or so.
- Bucket Toss (throwing): each girl throws a soft ball into a laundry basket from about 10 big steps. Every ball in the basket gets a team cheer. One cue: "Point at the basket."
- Tee and Run (hitting): hit off the tee into a net or fence, set the bat in a hula hoop, run to a cone. Waiting girls stand behind a rope line. One cue: "Bat in the hoop."
- Sticky Glove (catching): a parent kneels about 5 feet away and tosses a soft ball at her chest. She catches it with two hands and squeezes for a count of two. One cue: "Two hands, squeeze."
Rotate on a whistle every 6 minutes. Parents stay put and the girls move, holding hands with a buddy so nobody drifts to the playground on the way.
One cue means one. If she's dropping the bat, don't also fix her feet. The other stuff grows with reps.
Start the huddle with Coach BK's line: "It's a great day to be you!!" For a 6-year-old, it means come to the field happy and ready to play, even if she's brand new.
What do I do when a girl cries or wanders off?
Both happen every week at 6U. Neither means she hates fastpitch. Here's what I want you to do.
- The crier, Step 1: get down to her eye level and ask one question: "Are you hurt, or sad?" If she's hurt, stop and check. If anything looks wrong, get her parent right away.
- The crier, Step 2: if she's sad (missed a ball, lost a race), give her a job. "Can you be my ball collector?" A job usually works faster than a pep talk.
- The crier, Step 3: let her rejoin when she's ready. Don't make the group wait, and don't make a speech.
- The wanderer: walk over, say her name, and hand her a ball. "Show me how far you can throw it to me." Then walk back with her.
- The one who won't do anything: let her stand next to her parent for one station. Most girls jump in once they see the others laughing.
Never chase, never shame and never single her out in front of the team. Wandering usually means the drill ran too long. Cut the next one by a minute.
Your first 6U practice checklist
Do the prep the night before. Everything here fits in one bag and one bucket.
- Balls: a bucket of the softest balls your league allows. Some 6U programs use a soft 10-inch ball, so check your league's rules.
- Gear: two tees, a hula hoop, a laundry basket, 6 cones, a rope for the waiting line and youth helmets for every hitter and runner.
- Safety: first-aid kit, water for every girl, a shady spot and each parent's phone number. Only the hitter holds a bat.
- People: three parent helpers, each with a station card: drill, one cue, how many turns.
- A name for everyone: name tags or tape on the helmets. Saying her name is your best tool all day.
- A team cheer: let the girls pick it at the end of practice one.
Want the next practices built for you? The 46/60 Coach Playbook is $59 for a year, with simple cues and station plans you can shorten for 6U. Lessons 1–3 are free. Or make your own 45-minute plan with our free practice plan builder.
Want more free help? Join the American Hitting Association, a free baseball and softball membership from the same family as 46/60.
One thing to remember
At 6U, a girl who laughed, touched the ball a lot and wants to come back had a great practice.
What to do this week
Buy a laundry basket and a hula hoop, write three station cards with one cue each, and ask three parents to run one station. Practice saying every girl's name before the first practice.
Parent questions
How long should a 6U softball practice be?
About 45 minutes is plenty for most 5- and 6-year-olds. Switch stations every 6 minutes or so and stop before they're done, not after.
Should I keep score at 6U practice?
Keep it team-wide, like how many balls the whole group got into the basket. That builds cheering without one girl feeling like she lost.
What if my 6U player won't participate?
Let her watch next to her parent for a station, then invite her in with a simple job like collecting balls. Most girls join on their own once they see the fun.
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Sources: Little League University: Little League Tee Ball Program · MHAA 6U Softball Guide (10-inch softies, practice breakdown)