At-home softball drills for 7 to 10 year olds: outfield

This is a free sample week of at-home softball training for 7 to 10 year olds, for a outfield: 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 softball for 7 to 10 year olds

Session 1

Outfield: Clap and Go Starts 12 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Clap and Go Starts · 4 min
Hear it, go. Safety: Warm up first and rest fully between runs. Stop if a muscle feels tight. On hot days drink water and rest in the shade, and stop if you feel dizzy or get a headache. If you hear thunder, go inside.
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.

Session 2

Outfield: Two-Hand Fly Ball Catch 12 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Two-Hand Fly Ball Catch · 4 min
Call it, glove above your eyes. Safety: Use a soft training ball until catching with a glove is easy for you.
Lead-Off and Return · 4 min
Stay low and balanced, ready both ways. Safety: Never dive head first back to the base. Practice feet-first slides only on grass or soft dirt, with a coach.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 3

Outfield: Overarm Target Throw 12 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Overarm Target Throw · 4 min
Point, step, throw. Safety: Throw only into clear space or a solid wall, with nobody in the way. Use a soft or light ball.
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 softball 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

Clap and Go Starts

Ages 7 and up · 6 min

React to a clap and sprint a short distance to build a quick first step.

Stand at a cone in a ready stance.
When your partner claps, sprint 10 yards.
Walk back.
Do 8 starts.

Coach's cue: Hear it, go.

Bring: cones, partner

Safety: Warm up first and rest fully between runs. Stop if a muscle feels tight. On hot days drink water and rest in the shade, and stop if you feel dizzy or get a headache. If you hear thunder, go inside.

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.

Two-Hand Fly Ball Catch

Ages 7 and up · 8 min

Catch high tosses above your eyes with two hands and call for the ball.

Your partner tosses the ball high.
Call "Mine!" and move under the ball.
Catch it above your forehead and cover it with your throwing hand.
Do 20 catches.

Coach's cue: Call it, glove above your eyes.

Bring: glove, soft ball, partner

Safety: Use a soft training ball until catching with a glove is easy for you.

Lead-Off and Return

Ages 7 and up · 8 min

Practice a balanced lead and a quick return to the base.

Take the lead your league allows (or a starting stance on the base).
On a clap, step back to the base standing up, or slide back feet first.
Reset and repeat.
Do 12 reps.

Coach's cue: Stay low and balanced, ready both ways.

Bring: base

Safety: Never dive head first back to the base. Practice feet-first slides only on grass or soft dirt, with a coach.

Overarm Target Throw

Ages 6 to 10 · 8 min

Throw overarm at a target, stepping with the opposite foot. A basic movement skill every child should learn.

Stand side-on to a target 4 to 6 steps away.
Point your free hand at the target.
Step with the opposite foot and throw overarm.
Count hits out of 10, then try the other hand.

Coach's cue: Point, step, throw.

Bring: soft balls or beanbags, bucket or target

Safety: Throw only into clear space or a solid wall, with nobody in the way. Use a soft or light ball.

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: softball

Batting helmet with a face guard whenever anyone pitches or tosses to you.
A fielder face mask is wise for pitchers and corner infielders; catchers wear full gear.
Count every pitch, including practice and bullpen. Windmill pitching still causes overuse injuries.
Rest after a big pitching day; play another position on rest days, and stop if the shoulder, elbow or back hurts.
Spin pitches like the rise ball wait until about 13, with a pitching coach.
Slide feet first. Head-first slides are not allowed in Little League Major and below.

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 27 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.

Softball: governing bodies, safety and development (7)

Youth athletic development and safety (20)