Baseball is a great sport for children to get involved in. Not only is it a good source of exercise, but it is fun too!

If your child is new to baseball, it can be difficult to know which bat to buy. There are so many different types of bats to choose from. Each child has different needs when it comes to bat size. That is why it is so important to make sure that those needs are met when shopping for a bat.

If your child starts out with a bat that does not fit their needs, they will most likely begin to create bad habits that will be hard to correct in the future. Taking the time to make sure that you find the right bat for your child will help your child develop good technique, which they will need for their future baseball career.

Here are some tips on how to find the perfect baseball bat for your child:

Baseball Training Bats

If your child has never played baseball before, training bats are a great option.

When it comes to training bats, you have a couple different choices. There are training bat bundles that provide different weight distributions making the bat easier for children to use, and there is also an RS Backspin youth training bat that helps with hand positioning.

The training bat bundles include 3 different bats, each having a different sized knob on the end. The knob acts as a counter balance making it easier to swing. Your child should start with the bat that has the largest knob first. Once your child is comfortable with the way the swing feels on the first bat, they can begin using the bat with the medium sized knob.

This process will continue until your child is comfortable with the swing on the bat with the smallest knob. The progression of each child will differ depending on their size, strength, and the amount of time they spend practicing.

The RS Backspin youth training bat is flat-sided. This bat was designed by Reggie Smith to help train the proper palm-up-palm-down hand position which encourages a smooth path through the hitting zone. This bat is a great way to ensure that your child begins using the correct technique when swinging the bat.

The RS Backspin youth training bat gives immediate feedback. Once the child has mastered their hand position on the flat side of the bat, they can turn the bat to the round side to make sure that their hands are in the right position.

Once your child has mastered all their training bats, it is time to buy them their first youth baseball bat.

Length

When shopping for a youth baseball bat, it is important to make sure that it is the correct length. Every child will need a different length bat which is why you will need to take the time to properly measure it against your child.

First you will want to have your child place the edge of the bottom of the bat against their chest, with their arms spread out as if they want a big hug. The bat should be pointed to the side, lining their left arm. If their fingertips comfortably reach the top of the bat, it is the right length.

Another way to test the length of the bat is to have your child place the bottom of the bat flat on the middle of their chest. Then have your child reach out. If their hand can grab the barrel of the bat, it is the correct length.

The third way to test out the length of a bat is to have your child place the top of the bat flat on the floor with the bat standing up vertically against the side of their leg. If the bottom of the bat reaches the palm of your child's hand, it is the right length.

Drop Weight

The drop weight is extremely important when searching for a youth bat. To find the drop weight, you must figure out the difference between the weight and length of the bat. For example, if a bat has a length of 30 inches and the weight is 20oz, the drop weight will be -10oz.

The larger that the drop weight is, the lighter the bat will be. If your child is younger, or smaller, they will want to have a bat with a larger drop weight. When you are shopping for a youth bat, let your child play around with the bat to make sure that it is not too heavy or too light.

Finding the right bat for your child is extremely important for their future baseball career. Having the wrong sized baseball bat can hurt a child's batting technique. If a child gets accustomed to using bad techniques, it can be very difficult to correct.

If you have any questions regarding which type of baseball bat that you should get for your child, contact us. We want to discuss your youth baseball bat options with you to help ease the bat buying process.