Opening Day Fun: Baseball-Themed Activities for Early Childhood Education
This Friday, April 4th, is the Boston Red Sox home opener at Fenway Park! It’s the perfect time to bring some baseball-themed lessons and activities into your early childhood education classroom. Fun baseball-related activities can be done both indoors and outdoors.
Play Ball!
One of the best ways to introduce baseball is by letting children experience it firsthand. Setting up a batting tee is a fantastic gross motor activity that helps build hand-eye coordination. You can also have children practice running the bases and fielding balls. Using tennis balls is ideal since they’re soft enough to prevent injuries while still providing enough bounce for an engaging experience. To make hitting even easier, you can use larger, lightweight bouncy balls—about the size of kickballs—so children can have more success making contact.
If possible, consider taking a field trip to a local Little League field or setting up a makeshift baseball diamond using cones, chalk, or any other available materials.
Vocabulary & Science Exploration
Children can learn baseball-related vocabulary such as pitcher, batter, home run, and other basic terms. To expand their language skills, they can also compare how a baseball feels versus other balls like tennis balls, basketballs, golf balls, and soccer balls.
For a fun science activity, explore how different types of balls bounce and roll. Have children predict which ball will bounce the highest or roll the farthest, then test their hypotheses!
Baseball Across the Curriculum
Baseball can be incorporated into many areas of the curriculum:
• Math & Charting: Draw a strike zone on a wall and have children aim for it, then track how many balls and strikes are thrown using a simple chart. You can also keep a classroom record of the Red Sox (or your local team’s) wins and losses, teaching kids how to read standings and box scores.
• Music: There’s no better time to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame than on Opening Day!
• Physical Activity: Play a game of “wall ball” by having children throw a tennis ball against a wall, field it after the bounce, and repeat. This can be a fun individual or group activity.
• Art: Let children design their own baseball team logo, jersey, and cap. They can also color in the jersey and logo of their favorite team.
• Special Events: If possible, watch part of the Opening Day game in class and make baseball-themed snacks as a culminating activity!
Block Activity: Design Your Own Baseball Park
Lesson Title: Design Your Own Baseball Park with Blocks
Objective: Preschoolers will create their own baseball park using blocks or LEGO bricks while learning about famous stadiums like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.
Age Group: 3–5 years old
Duration: 45 minutes
Materials:
• Blocks or LEGO bricks of various sizes and colors
• Photos or a slideshow of famous baseball stadiums (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, etc.)
• A large open space or table for building
• Green construction paper or a green tablecloth to simulate the field
• (Optional) Printed images of baseball players, scoreboards, and flags for decoration
Lesson Procedure:
1. Introduction (5 minutes)
• Ask children if they have ever been to a baseball game or seen one on TV.
• Explain that baseball games take place in large stadiums called baseball parks.
• Show photos of famous parks like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, pointing out key features (e.g., the field, stands, scoreboard).
2. Building Activity (30 minutes)
• Provide children with blocks or LEGO bricks and encourage them to design their own baseball parks.
• Remind them that their parks can be unique—just like Fenway Park, which has many one-of-a-kind features!
3. Sharing & Discussion (5 minutes)
• Have each child share their baseball park with the class.
• Encourage them to describe their favorite features and any special details they included.
• Discuss the similarities and differences between their creations and real baseball stadiums.
Here are some books you can read as part of your baseball-themed lessons:
“Growing Up Pedro: Candlewick Biographies: How the Martinez Brothers Made It from the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues” by Matt Tavares
“Goodnight Baseball” by Michael Dahl, Illustrated by Christina Forshay
“Baseball Is…” by Louise Borden, Illustrated by Raúl Colón
“Pete the Cat: Play Ball!” by James Dean
“Waiting for Pumpsie” by Barry Wittenstein, Illustrated by London Ladd
