Crazy Softball

  1. Ball Games
  • Large Group (10 and up)

  • Ages 3-5

  • Balls

  • 10 Minutes

Development Goal

To develop teamwork, verbal communication and eye-hand coordination

Before You Start

Equipment Needed: 1 bat, 5 tennis or softballs, 1 bucket, marked field with bases and tee

  • Set up the field with bases.
  • Review the concepts of Softball and Baseball that you want to teach through the game.
  • Review safety rules, especially the Swing, Drop, Run rule for the batting.
  • Teach the game to the students and then ask them to explain the game back to you.
  • Demonstrate hitting, running the bases and fielding (with a pass to a teammate).

How to Play

Divide students into two teams.

  • The fielding team gets distributed in their positions; everyone is in the field, even if you need to have more than 9 in the field.
  • Give the batting team a batting order and line them up in a safe area to the side of the field.
  • You are the pitcher (if no tee is available) with a bucket of balls next to your feet.
  • Pitch the ball to the batter.
  • After the batter hits the ball, s/he automatically runs the bases, without stopping at any one base.
  • There are no fouls in this game .
  • After rounding the bases, the runner returns to the end of the line.
  • The fielding team gets the ball back to the pitcher as quickly as they can, passing the ball in through teammates.
  • Teams switch sides after everyone has had one chance to hit the ball and run bases. After everyone has had a hit, you can switch after 5 minutes.

Variations

  • Speed! One ball is used. After the batter hits the ball, s/he must run the bases in order, continuously until the ball is fielded to the pitcher, or tagged out. The goal is to see how far the runner can get before being stopped.  Switch after three outs or when time is called.
  • One Base Advance. After the batter hits the ball, s/he advances through the bases one at a time, stopping and then running each time a ball is hit by the next batter.