How to make your kid faster for baseball.

Every parent wants their kid to beat the throw to first. Here is the good news: baseball speed is mostly about the first few steps and reacting quickly, and both can be learned through play. No weights, no stopwatch pressure needed.

What does "fast" mean in baseball?

Most baseball plays are short. A ground ball to the side, a run to first, a jump on a steal. The kid who starts quickest and reads the play first often wins, even if they are not the fastest in a long race.

• First-step quickness: the first three steps out of a stance.
• Reaction: seeing the ball or a signal and moving right away.
• Body control: stopping, turning and changing direction without falling.
• Smart running: running through first, taking good turns and knowing when to go.

Also remember that kids grow at very different times. A child who looks slow at 9 may look very different at 12. Focus on skills you can control.

Simple running form for kids

Keep the words simple. Pick one cue per session.

1. Lean to go: a slight forward lean from the ankles for the first steps.
2. Pump the arms: elbows bent, hands swing from the hip pocket to about chin height, not across the body.
3. Stay on the balls of the feet: quiet, quick steps, not heavy heel stomps.
4. Eyes forward: look where you are going, not at your feet.
5. Relax the face and hands: tight fists and clenched jaws slow kids down.

Try it at a walk, then a jog, then a short run. Five easy runs of about 10 to 20 steps is plenty to start.

A fun check: film a short run on your phone in slow motion. Kids love seeing themselves, and it is easy to spot arms crossing the body or heavy heel steps. Pick one thing to try on the next run.

First-step and reaction games

Reaction games are the fun part, and they train the speed baseball actually uses. Mark spaces with cones or chalk on a flat, safe surface.

• Red light, green light (baseball style): start in a fielder's ready position. On "green," burst three steps; on "red," stop under control.
• Point and go: you point left or right; your child shuffles one step, then turns and runs to a cone.
• Mirror me: face each other. Your child copies your shuffles left and right, then sprints when you clap.
• Ball drop: hold a tennis ball at shoulder height a few steps away. Drop it; your child tries to catch it after one bounce.

Our free Speed & Agility Intro Course builds these same skills in seven 10- to 15-minute lessons: athletic start position, first three steps, braking, changing direction, reacting and landing softly.

Mix the starting positions: a fielder's ready stance, a lead off first base, a hitter finishing a swing, or even sitting or lying down for a silly start. New starts keep kids reacting instead of guessing, and the laughs keep them coming back.

Base-to-base sprints (and why rest matters)

Now take it to the bases. If you have a field, great. If not, set cones in a square in the yard or park.

1. Home to first: swing a pretend bat, drop it safely, and run hard through the base. Look at the base, not the ball.
2. First to second: start in a lead position, react to a "go," and run.
3. Round the bag: a small banana curve before first so the run to second is a straighter line.
4. Race the throw: you roll a ball to a sibling who throws to a target; your child tries to beat it.

Rest is part of speed. Kids learn speed when they are fresh. Walk back slowly between sprints, take a full break and stop well before they are worn out. Four to six quality sprints is a good session. Avoid long, maximum-effort sprint sets.

Do not race siblings or teammates against a stopwatch every session. Compare your child to their own last try, and celebrate a better start or a cleaner turn, not just a faster time.

Safety, strength and a weekly plan

For 7- to 12-year-olds, keep strength to bodyweight play: skipping, hopping, bear crawls, climbing and landing softly from small jumps. That is plenty.

• Warm up first: a few minutes of easy jogging, skipping and shuffles.
• Good surface and shoes: flat ground and non-slip athletic shoes.
• Heat: in hot weather, go early or late, use shade and take water breaks often.
• Stop for pain: also stop for dizziness or unusual tiredness, and ask your pediatrician with any concern.

A simple week: two or three 15-minute sessions with one form cue, two reaction games and four to six base sprints. For a full four-week plan, Game-Speed Athlete ($49) has 16 coached sessions on first steps, safe stops, lateral moves, reacting and angles for outfielders and baserunners. Session 1 is a free challenge.

What to do this week

Do two 15-minute speed sessions after a warm-up: one running-form cue, red light green light and point and go, then four home-to-first sprints with a slow walk back between each.