Most parents don’t need more drills. They need to know which few drills fit their child right now—and what to leave alone until later. A 7-year-old and a 12-year-old are playing almost different games: different pitchers, different speeds, different attention spans. This guide lays out what to work on at each age, how often to practice, what helps, what to skip, and how to tell when your child is ready for lessons or an online program.
At 7U and 8U, work on balance, a simple swing and hitting a friendly pitch—10 to 15 minutes, 3 or 4 days a week. At 10U, the job becomes timing and decisions against kid pitch. At 12U, build a weekly plan around the swing, seeing the ball, a stronger body and a calm approach. At every age: one goal per session, stop before the swings get sloppy, and keep it fun.
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What should my child work on at each age?
| Age | What they usually face | Main focus | Start with |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7U | Tee, coach pitch, some machine pitch | Balance, a full turn, solid contact, fun | Swing Structure |
| 8U | Coach or machine pitch | Getting ready before the pitch; swinging at belt-high strikes | Complete Hitter |
| 9U–10U | Kid pitch begins in many leagues | Early timing, the strike zone, taking balls, safe turn | Hitting Processor |
| 11U–12U | Faster kid pitch, first change-ups | Weekly plan: swing, see it, move, compete | Complete Hitter + Whole System |
Ages here are guides, not walls. A first-year 10U player who has never faced kid pitch may need the 8U priorities for a few weeks. A strong 9-year-old may be ready for 10U work. Start where your child is, not where the birthday says.
7U hitting drills: balance, contact and fun
At 7, the swing is still a full-body experiment. The goal is a hitter who can stand balanced, turn hard and hit the ball—and who wants to come back tomorrow. Mechanics talk mostly bounces off a 7-year-old. Games and targets don’t.
Freeze the finish
Off a tee, your child swings and holds the finish for a three-count, like a statue. If they fall over, it doesn’t count. Make it a game: how many statues in a row?
How much: 10–15 swings, 2–3 times a week.
Watch for: Falling toward the plate or spinning off the back foot. Both usually mean the swing is too big—swing at 80%.
Line-drive target
Hang a towel or sheet on a fence or net at about head height. Hits that strike the towel score a point. Kids learn to hit the middle of the ball without a single cue from you.
How much: Two rounds of 10. Keep score and let them beat it next time.
Wiffle soft toss from the side
Kneel off to the side (never in front) and toss Wiffle balls into the strike zone from a safe angle. Say the color or a number written on the ball before they swing—it keeps their eyes on it.
How much: 15–20 tosses.
Read more: tee-ball to coach pitch and batting tee drills for kids.
How often should my child practice hitting?
Short and often beats long and rare at every age. Young hitters get tired before they say so, and tired swings teach tired habits.
| Age | Session | Focused swings | Days a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7–9 | 10–15 minutes | About 25–50 | 3–4 |
| 10–12 | 15–25 minutes | About 50–100 | 3–5 |
These include dry swings, tee and toss. Team practices and games count, so home swings can drop on those days. Stop early if swings get sloppy, and keep at least one full day off each week. More detail: how many swings a day for kids.
Watch it: a youth swing at real speed and slow motion
A young hitter at a 46/60 camp station, at full speed and then twice as slow. Notice the athletic stance, the stride and how the whole body turns to finish.
Which drills actually help?
A good youth drill does three things: it works on one clear skill, it gives your child honest feedback without you saying a word (the ball goes where it should, or it doesn’t), and it’s close enough to a real at-bat that the skill carries over. Tee work, front toss from behind a screen, Wiffle balls, targets and “call it before you swing” games all pass that test.
What to avoid at every age
- Bats that are too heavy or too long. A bat to “grow into” makes kids late and teaches them to lean back. Use the free bat size calculator.
- Five cues at once. “Hands up, eye on the ball, step, squish the bug, follow through” is a recipe for a stiff, slow swing. One cue per session.
- Coaching during the at-bat. Yelling instructions from the stands mid-pitch adds pressure, not skill. Save it for practice.
- Hard pitching up close at home. Firing balls from 20 feet with no screen is how kids get hurt and become afraid of the ball.
- Hundred-swing sessions. Volume past the point of focus builds sloppy habits and burnout.
- Copying the pros’ swing. Big leg kicks and bat waggles take strength and timing a 9-year-old doesn’t have yet.
Is my child ready for lessons or an online program?
Your child is probably ready for a structured program if they:
- ask to practice, or at least don’t fight it
- can focus for about 10 minutes
- can try one simple instruction and notice whether it worked
- have a bat that fits, a tee and some soft balls at home
An online program makes sense when a parent can toss, watch and encourage, and wants a plan instead of guessing. That’s what the 46/60 courses are: short daily lessons for ages 7–12 that a parent can run at home, one skill at a time. Each course is $49, and the first lessons are free so you can see if it fits.
In-person lessons are worth it when your child has stalled after four to six weeks of steady practice, when fear of the ball needs live, careful reps, or when they want more than a parent can comfortably give. We teach youth lessons and run camps in the Scottsdale area.
Not ready yet is fine too. If your 7-year-old would rather play catch and hit Wiffle balls in the yard, that is the program. Read rec vs. travel ball before you sign up for anything bigger.
How do we build confidence without over-coaching?
Confidence comes from evidence. Kids believe they can hit when they see themselves do it, over and over, in practice that’s just a little hard. Your job is to set that up and then get out of the way.
- Praise what they control. Being ready early, a good take on a bad pitch, a hard swing—not just hits.
- One goal per session. Say it once at the start, then let the ball give the feedback.
- Let them win the last round. End on a success, even if it means moving the tee closer to the middle.
- Keep games for playing. No mechanics talk during games or on the car ride home. See what to say after a game.
- Treat fear seriously. Stepping out, flinching or not swinging usually means the ball scares them. That’s fixable with soft balls and small steps—see afraid of the ball and the Scared of the Baseball Fix.
Pick one course. Do it for 30 days.
Every 46/60 course is $49, built for ages 7–12, and works for baseball and softball. The first lessons are free.
- 30-Day Swing Structure — Balance, bat control and contact that works across locations.
- 30-Day Complete Hitter — Hitting fundamentals, smart decisions, movement and a simple game plan.
- 30-Day Hitting Processor — See the ball, know the zone and choose when to swing.
- Scared of the Baseball Fix — A parent-guided confidence course: calm eyes, smart takes and safe contact.
Want all seven skill courses? The Whole 46/60 System is $249 →
START WITH 30-DAY SWING STRUCTURE →Hitting drills by age
Free games to practice it
Parent questions
What should a 7 or 8 year old work on in hitting?
Balance, a full turn and solid contact on a friendly pitch. At 8U, add getting ready before the pitch arrives and swinging at belt-high strikes. Skip detailed mechanics.
How often should my child practice hitting?
About 10 to 15 minutes, 3 or 4 days a week for ages 7 to 9, and 15 to 25 minutes, 3 to 5 days a week for ages 10 to 12. Team practice counts, and stop when swings get sloppy.
When should my child start hitting lessons?
When they want to practice, can focus for about 10 minutes and can try one instruction at a time. Many families start with a structured home program and add in-person lessons if progress stalls after a few weeks.
What is the best hitting drill for kids?
There isn’t one. The best drill works on the one thing your child needs right now and gives honest feedback, like a tee drill aimed at a line-drive target. A free placement check can show where to start.
Do these drills work for softball?
The basics carry over, but softball hitters face shorter distances and react faster. See the youth softball hitting drills by age guide for what changes.
Written by Coach Billy Kehoe, founder of 46/60 Academy and Athletic Hitting Development. Ranges on this page are coaching guidelines from years of working with young hitters, not research rules. League formats and distances vary, so check your league’s rulebook. Updated October 13, 2026.