how can i teach my 4 year old to catch?

Question

we play baseball outside all the time, he can hit the ball well. when it is time to put on our gloves and throw to one another he always closes his eyes or just doesn't have the mit in the right place or is holding it wrong. i'm not sure how i learned, i was his age when i started tball so i learned, obviously. he's starting tball practice in a few weeks and i want him to be ready. please, no silly comments.

Answer 1

use a bigger softer ball at first to get him to trust himself and not be afraid of catching it. after he begins trusting himself more, the rest will come with continued practice.

Answer 2

Start with a soft Nerf ball. It's a great tool to teach a child to catch. It will help in eye/hand coordination. Spend a lot of time and always be positive. If he drops the ball continue to be positive. When he makes a catch, praise him.

Answer 3

He should toss the ball up to himself to get comfortable with the idea of reacting to when to grasp the ball.

Once he has done that for a while toss the ball to him at a short distance and then slowly increase the distance apart.

Answer 4

Get something softer. and not being cruel. put a small glove on and then tap the fielder glove on the smaller glove. and just underhand throws and so forth. then try the baseball and progress from there.

Answer 5

stand right in front of him, and drop the ball into his mitt, over and over.


boy <--> you

then, move back a little bit, and sort of toss it into his mitt. Remind him not to close his eyes (but you should be so close that he shouldn't be closing his eyes). Do this over and over.

boy <----------> you

Then, extend the distance. The key is doing each spot over and over.

And really - how much is he going to CATCH in t-ball?

Answer 6

First I would let him do alot of the throwing and you catch so he can learn and see the way you catch it when he throws it to you and this should help. Good Luck! =)