60-Minute Beginner Baseball Practice Plan: Small-Sided Hitting & Baserunning Games To Mini Scrimmage

Players spread out on the grass for a light jog, arm circles, and trunk twists, then grab a bat and face the same direction with full bat-length spacing.

Flow: 30 seconds each movement, then 5 slow dry swings on your cue. Coach script: “Freeze your finish—hold it for one second.”

• Cues: “Eyes on the ball” and “finish balanced.”
• Quick check: Feet shoulder-width, knees soft, hands up near the back shoulder.
• Safety: If anyone is too close, stop and re-space before the next swing.

Setup: Three groups of 3–4, each with a tee hitting into a net or open fence. Set a cone “home run line” out front. Each group has a hitter, a ball-placer, and shaggers.

How it runs: Hitter gets 5 swings. A ball that passes the cone line on the ground or in the air scores 1 point. Rotate jobs after each turn so everyone hits and helps.

• Cues: “Hit it out front” and “finish balanced.”
• Watch for: Contact out in front (not reaching back or chopping down).
• Fix fast: If they swing before they’re set, have them set their stance and say “ready” before each swing.

Setup: Two groups with a coach (or older helper) kneeling to the side tossing one whiffle ball at a time into a net. Cones mark a target zone on the net (line drive into the zone = points).

Organization and safety: Waiting players stand behind a cone 10–12 feet back (no bats), and the hitter drops the bat at their feet after the last swing—coach retrieves it—before the next hitter steps in.

How it runs: One ball tossed at a time; hitter takes 5 swings. Line drive into the target zone scores most; pop-ups and grounders score less. Keep the no-walk zone clear around the hitter.

• Cues: “See it, hit it out front.”
• Watch for: Eyes stay on the ball to contact and the swing finishes balanced.
• Common fix: If they step out or pull their head, cue “chin to front shoulder, then to back shoulder” to keep the head quiet.

Setup: Bats and helmets parked off to the side (not in walkways); players drink at the fence.

Coaching: Quick drink, then preview baserunning. Remind them helmets stay on for the running game. Re-form into two short lines at home plate.

• Check: Players can repeat, “Bat stays down until the coach says go.”
• Fix: If anyone carries a bat to water, pause and have a coach collect bats into the bucket first.

Setup: Create two lanes (Lane 1 and Lane 2) from home to first with a flat finish disc 10 feet past first base in each lane. Put a cone “on-deck” spot for each lane behind and to the side of home plate so the next runner is waiting safely (no one standing in front of the hitter/runner path).

Rep flow (keep kids moving): Run both lanes at the same time with two adults (or one coach plus a helper). Send a runner every 10–12 seconds per lane. While a runner is going, the next runner waits on the on-deck cone; everyone else is behind that cone line.

Lane options:

• Option A (two identical lanes): Each lane has a fielder at a cone with a soft ball. Coach rolls a ground ball to the fielder as the runner takes off; runner scores for beating the throw, defense scores for the out.
• Option B (split groups): First 7 minutes: Group A runs home→1B “beat the throw” in Lane 1 while Group B does a stop/go + banana turn drill at 1B/2B in Lane 2 (coach calls “one!” to run through, or “two!” to turn). At 7 minutes, swap groups.

Coaching points: Sprint through the bag and finish at the disc, then slow down under control. Add a “turn” round where the coach yells “two!” and the runner makes a banana turn toward second.

• Watch for: Full-speed run past the base to the finish disc.
• Fix: If they slow at the bag, remind them the disc is the finish line and it’s the only legal place to stop.

Setup: Combine into two teams of 5–6 and set a small diamond. Coach pitches underhand and close (or use a tee for the newest hitters). Everyone plays defense; the batting team waits behind the fence with helmets on.

How it runs: Whole team bats once through the order, then switch sides. Keep the line moving and keep instruction short between hitters.

• Cues: Balanced swing, hit it out front, then run hard through first.
• Watch for: Hitters drop the bat (not throw it) and run immediately after contact.
• Fix: If they watch the hit, cue “run!” right at contact until it becomes automatic.

Circle up on the grass with bats and helmets put away and balls in buckets.

2-minute wrap: Ask three quick prompts and keep answers to one sentence each: “Show me your balanced finish.” “Where do we hit the ball?” “Where do we stop after first?”

Coach script: “When I say ‘team,’ you say ‘together’—then we’re done.” End on time.