At-home baseball drills for 7 to 10 year olds: catcher

This is a free sample week of at-home baseball training for 7 to 10 year olds, for a catcher: 3 of the 7 plans SSTracker has for this group, each 12 minutes, with every step and minute. Nothing here is written for this page alone; it is what the app gives a family.

Everything here can be done in a room, garage or yard. Drills that need a team are left out; a parent can be the partner in a pair drill.

A free sample week of baseball for 7 to 10 year olds

Session 1

Throw and catch ladder 12 minutes

Short partner throws (10 to 15 feet) · 5 min
Point your glove at the target, step and throw
One step back after five good catches · 5 min
Form before distance
Easy arm circles · 2 min
Loose and gentle, both arms

Session 2

Catcher: Fence Target Throws 12 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Fence Target Throws · 4 min
Step at it, throw through it. Safety: Warm up first, count your throws and stop if your shoulder or elbow hurts. Follow your league throw limits.
Bat Speed Whoosh · 4 min
Make the noise out front. Safety: Check that nobody is within two bat lengths before every swing.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 3

Catcher: Two-Knee Throws 12 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Two-Knee Throws · 4 min
Point, reach up, finish down. Safety: Warm up first, count your throws and stop if your shoulder or elbow hurts. Follow your league throw limits.
Pillow Path Balance · 4 min
Soft knees, steady steps. Safety: Practice on soft ground or near a wall with clear space around you, so a wobble is no problem.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Want the rest of the plan?

This sample is 3 of the 7 baseball plans SSTracker has for this group. In SSTracker every step is on the screen, your child logs the work, and you see it. No club needed: the family plan is $7.50 a month per player, or $12 a month for the whole household, and the first 14 days are free.

Get the full plan free for 14 days Coach or club director? Set up your team free Print a free week for another sport or age

The drills in this week

Fence Target Throws

Ages 7 and up · 10 min

Throw at a chest-high target so you learn that aim matters more than speed.

Hang a towel or paper target at chest height on a fence.
Stand 20 feet away and step toward the target as you throw.
Make 20 throws and count the hits.
Stop at 20 throws for the day.

Coach's cue: Step at it, throw through it.

Bring: glove, soft balls, target on a fence

Safety: Warm up first, count your throws and stop if your shoulder or elbow hurts. Follow your league throw limits.

Bat Speed Whoosh

Ages 7 and up · 8 min

Turn the bat upside down and swing fast so you hear the whoosh at the hitting zone.

Hold the bat by the barrel so the handle is at the top.
Take your stance and swing as fast as you can.
Listen for the loudest whoosh out in front of you.
Do 3 sets of 8 with a short rest.

Coach's cue: Make the noise out front.

Bring: bat

Safety: Check that nobody is within two bat lengths before every swing.

Two-Knee Throws

Ages 7 and up · 8 min

Kneel on both knees to practice a clean arm path without worrying about your feet.

Kneel facing your partner 20 feet away, chest turned slightly to the side.
Take the ball out of your glove, point your glove at your partner and bring your arm up.
Throw and finish with your hand down by your opposite knee.
Make 15 throws.

Coach's cue: Point, reach up, finish down.

Bring: glove, soft ball, partner

Safety: Warm up first, count your throws and stop if your shoulder or elbow hurts. Follow your league throw limits.

Pillow Path Balance

Ages 5 to 10 · 8 min

Step across a path of cushions on the floor without stepping off. Wobbly ground trains the ankles.

Lay cushions in a path on a soft floor or grass.
Step from cushion to cushion.
Try it slowly, then on one foot per cushion.
Do 5 trips.

Coach's cue: Soft knees, steady steps.

Bring: cushions or pillows

Safety: Practice on soft ground or near a wall with clear space around you, so a wobble is no problem.

Safety for ages 7 to 10

Plans for this age group use beginner drills only. Advanced drills open from age 13 in the app.
Home plans use only drills for a room, garage or yard. Stop if anything hurts.

Before you start: baseball

Batting helmet whenever anyone pitches or tosses to you, and on the bases.
Catchers: helmet with mask, throat guard, chest protector, shin guards and a cup.
Follow Pitch Smart pitch counts: 50 a day at 7-8, 75 at 9-10, 85 at 11-12, 95 at 13-16, with rest days after.
Never pitch three days in a row, and do not catch on a day you pitch.
No curveballs or radar guns for young arms; at least 4 months a year with no throwing.
Slide feet first. Head-first slides are not allowed in Little League Major and below.
Stop if the elbow or shoulder hurts, even if the pitch count is low.

For every sport and age (7)

Head knock or concussion signs (headache, dizziness, confusion, feeling "off"): when in doubt, sit them out. See a doctor, and no return the same day.
Back to sport only with a doctor's written OK, after a step-by-step return. Every U.S. state has a youth concussion law.
Heat: drink water before, during and after. Take shade breaks, ease into hot weather over about two weeks, and stop if dizzy, sick or headachy.
Lightning: if you hear thunder or see lightning, go inside a building or a closed car. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder (the 30-30 rule).
Pain is a stop sign, not something to push through. Stop and tell a grown-up; pain that lasts or comes back each session needs a doctor.
Water and rest are part of training: 1-2 rest days a week, plenty of sleep, a meal or snack before and after, and other sports welcome.
Know where the nearest AED (heart defibrillator) is, and who calls for help in an emergency.

The research behind these plans

Which drills are shown at which age, and the safety notes, follow the 29 sources below: national governing bodies, medical associations and studies on youth sport (last reviewed October 2026). Where no study gives an exact number, the plans use cautious defaults, and we change them as the research does.

Baseball: governing bodies, safety and development (9)

Youth athletic development and safety (20)