Major League Activities

Soccer-Baseball

Best for: Ages 1 to 3

Kids will get a kick out of this baseball-inspired game.

You’€™ll Need:

• A ball
• Umpire (parent)
• Coach (parent) for each team
• Small baseball diamond

How to Play:

1. This game is very similar to baseball, but players kick the ball to ‘€˜bat it’€™ instead of using bats. It’€™s much more accessible for young children.
2. Just like in baseball, teams alternate innings. One team is on the infield attempting to score by kicking the ball and running the bases. The other team is in the outfield working to stop runs from being scored.
3. Players in the infield kick the ball in order to advance players around the bases and score runs.
4. The team that has the most runs after a chosen number of innings (usually nine) wins.

Good to Know: When deciding where to have the party, look for a smaller baseball diamond for the little kids. If you want to have the party at home, or in a park, you just need a few items, like beanbags, as base markers to create your own baseball diamond; this game is better played with a soft, light ball, making it easier for the kids to kick it further.

T-Ball
Best for: Ages 3 to 5

Younger players will swing at the chance to play this ball sport.

You’€™ll Need:

• A ball
• A bat
• A tee
• Umpire (parent)
• Coach (parent) for each team
• Small baseball diamond
• Gloves for the outfielders

How to Play:

1. In this game, the ball is placed on an adjustable tee atop home plate. Make sure it’€™s at a suitable height for the batter to strike.
2. A t-ball player swings at a ball resting on the tee.
3. Most of the other rules are identical to those of baseball, but the game is played on a smaller field.
4. Some people play with an inning being completed once each child has had a turn at bat, but if you want to keep it the same as baseball, the inning is over once the defensive team has had three outs.
5. The team that has the most runs after a chosen number of innings (usually nine) wins.

Baseball
Best for: Ages 5 to 8

It is a baseball party after all, so why not play it?

You’€™ll Need:

• A baseball
• A bat
• Umpire (parent)
• Coach (parent) for each team
• Baseball diamond
• Gloves for the outfielders
• Helmets for the batters
• Pitcher (parent)
• Catcher (parent)

How to Play:

1. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged around the diamond.
2. Players up to bat take turns hitting the ball thrown by a pitcher.
3. A player on the batting team can stop at any of the bases and later advance by a teammate’s hit.
4. The teams switch between batting and fielding whenever the batting team gets three outs (an inning).
5. Nine innings make up a game. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins.