Your child crushes the ball in the backyard, then swings way early at a slow pitch, or way late at a fast one. That's not a swing problem. It's a timing problem, and timing can be taught.
Teach timing by having your child get ready early, starting their load when the pitcher's arm starts, and getting the front foot down on time. Then mix slow and fast tosses so they learn to prepare for the fast one and wait on the slow one.
Train it: Complete Contact Builder (Level 2 Hitting, $49) → Free: Free Hitting Skill Guide →Is my kid early or late? How to tell
Watch a few swings and look for these signs. For a left-handed hitter, flip the sides.
| What you see | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Lunging forward, weight already on the front foot | Early, often on a slow pitch |
| Pulled foul balls (to the left side for a right-handed hitter) | Early |
| Swinging after the ball is in the catcher's glove | Late |
| Foul balls to the opposite side, or getting jammed | Late |
| Starting to get ready only when the ball is released | Late start, the most common cause |
Most young hitters are late because they start getting ready too late. Kids who are early are usually guessing fast every time and can't wait on a slower pitch.
Here's the sign your child is on time, in Coach BK's words: "Hard, down the other way means we are on our way!" A hard ball to the opposite field means they were on time and stayed through the ball.
The two rules of timing
USA Softball's coaching advice on timing boils down to two ideas that work in baseball too:
- Be ready early: when the pitcher starts the motion, the hitter starts getting ready. Get the front foot down early rather than late. A young hitter can't really swing until that front foot is down.
- Prepare for fast, adjust to slow: get ready for the fastest pitch. It's much easier to wait on a slow pitch than to catch up to a fast one.
Say it to your child in kid words: "Get ready when the arm goes back. Foot down early. If it's slow, wait for it."
Coach BK puts it this way: "Pitchers are basically pizza delivery guys." The pitcher is just delivering it. Your child's job is to be loaded and ready when it shows up.
Four timing drills for kids 7–12
Do these with soft or plastic balls, and front toss from about 15 to 20 feet behind a protective net. USA Baseball's hitting progression goes tee, then soft toss, then front toss, so make sure your child is solid on the tee first.
- Arm-back load (ages 7+): front toss at one easy speed. Your child starts their small load when your arm goes back, not when the ball leaves your hand. Ten tosses. Say "arm back" out loud at first.
- Foot-down freeze (ages 7+): on the toss, your child strides and freezes with the front foot down, no swing. Was the foot down before the ball arrived? Then repeat with swings.
- Fast–slow mix (ages 9+): mix firm tosses with slower, higher tosses. Your child gets ready for the firm one every time and keeps their weight back on the slow one. A point for every slow toss hit hard without lunging.
- Call the speed (ages 9+): your child yells "fast" or "slow" as soon as they can tell, then swings. Early calls mean they're reading the ball, not guessing.
Keep each round to 10 tosses. Stop if your child's arm, back or hands hurt, and end on a good swing.
Timing changes as kids move up
In coach pitch, the pitches come in at mostly one speed, so 7- and 8-year-olds should focus on getting ready early and getting the front foot down. That habit alone fixes most late swings.
As kids reach kid pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball, pitch speeds vary more from pitcher to pitcher and pitch to pitch. That's when the fast–slow mix and call-the-speed drills earn their keep. Check your league's rules for when kid pitch starts.
For a step-by-step plan, the free hitting skill guide lays out age-by-age drills and cues. When you want more structure, Complete Contact Builder ($49) is our four-week, 16-session Level 2 hitting program for baseball and softball players 7–12.
One thing to remember
Get ready early and prepare for the fast pitch; it's always easier to wait on a slow one than to catch up.
What to do this week
Do two 10-minute front toss sessions. Start with the arm-back load and foot-down freeze, then finish with five fast–slow mix tosses and keep score.
Parent questions
Why is my child always late on the pitch?
Most young hitters are late because they start getting ready when the ball is released. Have them start their load when the pitcher's arm goes back and get the front foot down early.
How do you teach a kid to hit a slow pitch?
Have them get ready for a fast pitch, then keep their weight back and hands waiting when the pitch is slow. Mixing slow and firm tosses in practice teaches them to wait.
What age should kids practice hitting different speeds?
Start with one easy speed for 7- and 8-year-olds and focus on getting ready early. Mix speeds around 9 to 12, as kid pitch begins; check your league's rules for when that is.
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Sources: Team USA (USA Softball) — Hitting is all timing · Little League University (content from USA Baseball) — Hitting Drill Progression