Kids don't ask to do drills. They ask to play. The good news is that a backyard game can teach the same skills as a drill, and your child will beg for one more round. Here are seven games we love for players 7 to 12, in baseball or softball.
The best backyard baseball games for kids are short, scored and safe: games like Hot Box Pickle, Five Fly Balls and Call It Out build catching, hitting, baserunning and game smarts. Use soft balls, clear space and 10 to 15 minutes, and let the score make it fun.
Train it: Game IQ Playmaker (Level 2 Baseball IQ, $49) → Free: Free Hitting Games for Kids →Set up a safe backyard field
A few minutes of setup keeps everyone safe and keeps the games moving.
- Use soft balls: foam balls, plastic balls with holes, or soft training balls. Save hard balls for the real field.
- Check your space: no windows, cars or little siblings in the line of fire. A park is great if the yard is small.
- Mark it out: shoes, towels or cones make perfect bases and targets.
- Bring water and shade: in the heat, play early or late and take plenty of breaks.
- Adults supervise: stop if anyone has pain.
Every game below uses points. Kids love a score, and a score tells you what's working without a lecture. Keep a simple sheet on the fridge and let your child try to beat yesterday's number.
Catching and throwing games
- Five Fly Balls: toss soft pop-ups. A catch is worth 1 point, and a catch on the run is worth 2. First to 5 becomes the tosser. Start with short, easy tosses and go higher only when they're catching most of them.
- Target Toss: set a bucket, a chair or a towel on the ground about 15 to 25 steps away (closer for younger kids). Three throws each round. Hit the target, score a point. Every throw starts with feet lined up to the target.
- Grounder Goalie: two shoes make a goal about three big steps wide. You roll grounders at the goal and your child is the goalie with a glove. A stopped ball is their point, and a ball through the goal is yours. First to 10 wins.
Warm up the arm with easy catch first, and keep throwing games short. If the arm gets sore, the game is over for the day.
Hitting games
- Zone Ball: hit soft balls off a tee or from soft underhand tosses. Use cones to mark a line drive zone in front of the hitter. A line drive into the zone is 3 points, a ground ball is 1, and a pop-up is 0. Ten swings per round, then switch hitter or try to beat your score.
- Swing or Take: using soft balls and easy underhand tosses, toss some pitches right down the middle and some way off the plate. The hitter scores a point for swinging at a good one and a point for taking a bad one. First to 7 wins, then switch tosser.
In Swing or Take, a swing and miss at a good pitch still scores. Coach BK's line works here too: "Gotta swing it to hit it." We want brave swings at good pitches, not perfect contact.
Want more? Our free hitting games page turns swings into points and challenges you can play at home.
Baserunning and game IQ games
- Hot Box Pickle: two bases about 15 to 20 steps apart, one fielder at each, with a soft ball. The runner starts in the middle and tries to reach a base without being tagged. Fielders practice short, quick throws and running the runner back. Three tries, then switch. Tags are soft touches with the ball in the glove.
- Call It Out: before each toss or roll, call a situation: "Runner on first, one out." Your child fields the ball and has to throw (or point) to the right base. One point for the right choice, a bonus point for saying it out loud before the ball is hit.
Call It Out is our favorite for game IQ. Kids who think "where does it go?" before every pitch play faster and smarter in real games. That's the heart of our Game IQ Playmaker program ($49), 16 sessions on reading the situation and making the right play.
How to keep backyard games fun
- Keep it short: two or three games, 10 to 15 minutes total. End before they're bored.
- Let them win sometimes: kids love beating a parent. Change the rules to keep it close.
- Let them be the coach: have your child toss, roll or call the situation for you.
- Mix in siblings and friends: games get better with more players, so adjust distances by age.
- Save the lessons: one quick tip per game, then let them play.
Kids play these games best when they play them a lot. One short game a few days a week beats one long session on Saturday.
Change one rule at a time as your child gets better: a longer distance, a smaller target, or two situations instead of one. Making the game a little harder keeps it a challenge, and a challenge keeps kids coming back. If they start missing a lot, make it easier again and let them rebuild their confidence.
One thing to remember
A short, scored game with a soft ball teaches the same skills as a drill, and kids will ask to play again.
What to do this week
Pick two games, one catching game and one hitting or IQ game. Play them three times this week for 15 minutes, and keep a simple score sheet on the fridge.
Parent questions
What kind of ball is safest for backyard baseball?
Foam balls, plastic balls with holes and soft training balls are the safest for the yard. Save hard baseballs and softballs for the field with proper gear and adult supervision.
How much space do I need for backyard baseball games?
Many of these games work in a driveway or small yard with soft balls and shorter distances. If you don't have room to throw or hit safely, take the games to a park.
Can my kid play these games alone?
Some, like Target Toss or tee work in Zone Ball, can be done alone. Most are better with a parent, sibling or friend, and an adult should always be nearby.