Tell an 8-year-old to field ten grounders and you get a shrug. Tell him the first group to ten clean catches wins, and he's down in the dirt before you finish the sentence. That's the whole secret of fun 8U baseball drills: same skill, plus a score.
The best 8U baseball drills are short games with a score: tee hitting at cone targets, partner grounder races, a throwing tic-tac-toe board and a "Coach Says" baserunning game. Run each for about 10 minutes in small groups, then finish with a mini scrimmage.
Train it: 46/60 Coach Playbook ($59) → Free: Free 8U Practice Plans →What makes an 8U drill fun?
Three things. A score, a short clock and almost no waiting. Little League's coaching tips put it plainly: just about any drill can be made fun by adding friendly competition.
- A score: points, a record to beat or a race. Kids keep score even when you don't.
- A short clock: about 10 minutes per drill. When eyes wander, switch.
- Groups of three or four: nobody stands in a line longer than a few seconds.
- One cue per drill: say it once, then let them play.
Keep balls soft at short range: tennis balls, wiffle balls or soft training balls. Helmets on for anyone near a swinging bat. If a player has pain, stop.
Five fun 8U baseball drills, one for each skill
Each drill below covers one skill and comes with its own way to keep score.
- Powder Points (hitting): set a tee at home and three cones in the outfield grass. A ground ball scores 1, a line drive scores 2, hitting a cone scores 3. Five swings each, then rotate. Use wiffle balls if the field is tight.
- Hot Potato Grounders (fielding): partners stand about 10 feet apart. Roll a grounder, field it with two hands, roll it right back. Count clean catches in 60 seconds, then try to beat that number.
- Egg Toss Pop-Ups (catching): partners toss tennis balls underhand, high and soft. Two hands, catch it out in front. After every catch, the pair takes one step back. A drop sends you back to the start.
- Tic-Tac-Toe Throw (throwing): lay nine hula hoops or a chalk grid on the grass about 15 feet away. Two teams take turns throwing tennis balls. Land in a square, you claim it. Three in a row wins.
- Coach Says Bases (baserunning): like Simon Says on the base paths. "Coach says run through first!" "Coach says round second!" Move without "Coach says" and you jog back to home. Have runners call each base out loud as they touch it.
Little League's tee ball baserunning station has players call out each base as they reach it, and it works great at 8U too. Kids who say "second!" out loud learn where second is fast.
How do I keep a hitting game fun without it getting wild?
Hitting is where 8U practice gets unsafe fastest. Give the tee its own lane, away from every other group, and draw a line in the dirt that waiting hitters stay behind.
Then chase one thing: the sound. Coach BK says "Ball — powdered." For a 7-year-old, that means the barrel found the ball and it popped off the bat. Ask your hitters to tell you which swing sounded best. They always know.
If your league uses coach pitch, add a front-toss round. Before each toss, try another BKism: "Pitchers are basically pizza delivery guys." For an 8U hitter, that means the pitcher is just bringing it to you, so be ready when it shows up.
A sample 60-minute 8U practice
Here's how we'd lay out an hour with 12 players and three parent helpers. Split the team into three groups of four for the stations.
| Minutes | What happens | Coaching cue |
|---|---|---|
| 0–8 | Coach Says Bases warm-up | Call every base out loud |
| 8–15 | Partner catch, then Hot Potato Grounders | Two hands, ball out front |
| 15–45 | Three 10-minute stations: Powder Points, Egg Toss Pop-Ups, Tic-Tac-Toe Throw | Stay behind the hitting line |
| 45–55 | 4-on-4-on-4 mini scrimmage, coach pitches | Run hard on every hit |
| 55–60 | Water and one-win circle | Each player names one thing they did well |
Take a water break at every station change. Little League suggests a 4-on-4-on-4 scrimmage as a fun break from the usual workout: one team hits, one fields and one runs or rests, then they rotate. Keep score and let every hitter swing until they put one in play.
Want this printed and ready? Grab our free 8U practice plans and bring them to the field.
How do I run this with only one or two coaches?
Ask parents before practice, not during. Hand each helper a card with one drill, one cue and how to keep score. That's all they need.
- You run hitting: the tee lane needs the most watching, so the head coach takes it.
- One parent per other station: they toss, count points and cheer.
- Rotate on a whistle: everyone moves at the same time, clockwise.
- Keep extra balls in a bucket at every station: chasing strays eats minutes.
If you want every week planned for you, the 46/60 Coach Playbook is $59 for a year: 24 lessons for 8U to 12U coaches with what to teach, cues, fixes and 60-minute station plans. Lessons 1–3 are free.
One thing to remember
Same skill, plus a score, beats any drill a 7-year-old has to wait in line for.
What to do this week
Pick two of the five games and run them for 10 minutes each at your next practice. At the end, ask every player which game they want again, and keep that one.
Parent questions
How many drills should an 8U practice have?
Four or five is plenty for an hour. Kids learn more repeating a few favorite games each week than learning a new drill every practice.
Will these drills work for a 6-year-old?
Yes. Shorten the distances, use the softest balls you have and cut each game to about 5 minutes. Tee ball players love Coach Says Bases.
Should 8U players keep score in practice?
Yes, as long as it stays light. A score keeps kids focused without you saying "focus," and you can mix teams often so the same kids don't always win.
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Sources: Little League University: In Little League Practices, Fresh Equals Fun · Little League University: Tee Ball Drills, Baserunning and Ground Balls · Little League University: Keep Practices Fresh by Including Intrasquad Scrimmages