A runner is sliding into second, the throw is on the way, and your kid has about one second to get it right. Tags look easy from the stands, but young fielders miss them all the time. Here is how to teach a tag that is simple, sure and safe.
Teach kids to tag a runner by first knowing when a tag is needed, then setting up at the base, catching the ball before anything else, and putting the glove down low in front of the base so the runner slides into it. Squeeze the ball, tag with the glove, and never block the base without the ball.
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Kids first need to know when they even have to tag. Keep it to one simple question: does the runner have to run?
- Force out: the runner has to move because the batter is coming behind them. A fielder with the ball just steps on the base. No tag needed.
- Tag out: the runner does not have to move, like a runner stealing, taking an extra base or going back after a fly ball. Now the fielder has to touch the runner with the ball.
- Quick tip: on a force play, the base is usually closer than the runner. Step on it.
Quiz your child on it during a game you watch together. Every time a runner is on, ask "force or tag?" It turns TV time into practice.
Where should my kid stand to make a tag?
Getting to the base early is half the job. Teach your child to hustle to the bag, then set up so they can catch the throw and still stay out of the runner's way.
- Get there first: run to the base, then turn and face the throw.
- Feet beside the base: for young players, stand on the side of the bag or straddle it, feet on each side, not on top of it and not in the base path.
- Knees bent, glove up: give the thrower a big target at the chest.
- Eyes on the ball: forget the runner until the ball is in the glove.
One rule matters for safety and for the call. A fielder who doesn't have the ball may not block the base or the base path. Little League says so in its rules FAQ, and most leagues have a similar rule, so check your league's rules. Teach kids to leave the runner a path until they have the ball.
How to make the tag, step by step
The best tags are quick and low. Here is the order we teach 8- to 12-year-olds:
- Catch it first: a dropped throw gets nobody out. Two hands when they can.
- Squeeze the ball in the glove: ball deep in the pocket, hand firm, so a slide can't knock it loose.
- Glove down, in front of the base: put the glove on the ground where the runner's foot is coming, back of the glove facing the runner. Let the runner slide into it.
- Tag and pull away: touch the runner, then lift the glove up and away, ready to look for another play.
Sweeping the tag low and close to the ground gives a fielder the best chance to touch some part of a sliding runner. Chasing a runner's chest or hands usually ends with a missed tag.
If a runner is caught between bases and not sliding, the fielder runs at them with the ball in the glove and touches them with the glove. Never throw the ball at a runner. That is for kickball, not baseball or softball.
Softball tags work the same way. Runners slide into bases in both sports, so a low glove in front of the bag is the right habit for everyone.
Keeping tag plays safe
Tag plays put a fielder and a runner at the same spot at the same time. A few habits keep everyone safe:
- Stay off the base path until the ball arrives, and keep feet to the side of the bag.
- Don't dive at runners. Reach with the glove; the body stays put.
- Teach your runners to slide feet first. Little League doesn't allow head-first slides when advancing in its younger divisions, and many leagues have similar rules. See our guide on how to teach a kid to slide safely.
- Start soft: use a soft or tennis ball and walking runners until the footwork is solid. Stop if anyone gets hurt.
Coach BK likes to say "Two choices: A. Do everything in your control. B. Anything but A." For a young fielder, that means getting to the base early and catching the ball are in their control every single play.
Tag games to play at practice or at home
Tags get better with lots of short, fun reps. Use a soft ball, a real or throw-down base, and 10 minutes at a time.
- Slow-Motion Slide: you walk toward the base and act out a slide in slow motion. Your child catches a soft toss and puts the glove down where your foot will land. Speed up a little each round.
- Force or Tag?: call out a game situation, like "runner on first, ground ball." They answer force or tag, then make the play.
- Beat the Runner: a sibling or teammate jogs from a cone while you throw to the base. Fielder gets to the bag, catches and tags. Count clean tags in a row.
- Squeeze Check: after each tag, give the glove a gentle tap. If the ball stays in, it's a point.
Praise the catch and the low glove, even when the runner is safe. Good habits show up as outs a few weeks later.
One thing to remember
Catch the ball first, then put the glove down low in front of the base and let the runner slide into the tag.
What to do this week
Ask "force or tag?" during one game you watch together. Then play Slow-Motion Slide and Squeeze Check for 10 minutes twice this week with a soft ball.
Parent questions
Does a fielder have to tag the runner on a force play?
No. On a force play, a fielder with the ball can just step on the base. That is usually quicker than chasing the runner, so teach kids to look for the base first on a force.
Can a fielder block the base in youth baseball?
Not without the ball. Little League's rules FAQ says a fielder without the ball may not block the base or base path and hinder a runner. Check your league's rules for the details.
Should kids tag with the glove or the bare hand?
With the glove, ball squeezed inside it. Tagging with the throwing hand holding the ball makes it easy for a slide to knock the ball loose.
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Sources: Little League: Rule 7.00 The Runner FAQs (blocking the base, head-first slides) · STACK: Teach young baseball players how to get baserunners out · BetterCoaches: First base throws off the bag (catch first, then tag)