Uniform: The league supplies a team shirt and hat. Baseball pants and socks may be purchased but not necessary.
Baseball Glove (required): In T-Ball, every player is in the field every inning so gloves can't be shared. We want something light, flexible, and small. For this age group, that means don't go larger than a 10" glove.
Cup (highly recommended): For boys it’s not required at this age group, but a very good idea nonetheless.
Cleats (recommended): First, the dirt surface they play on - both in a baseball sense and in sense that they can't resist digging in it - will turn their sneakers a disgusting brown color anyway. Second, they'll hit and run much better with cleats.
Bat (League Supplied for Team): Team Bats are shared by the team. Some players may choose to have their own so they can use them at home. You want a "tee ball" bat - not a regular bat - 26" or less in length (less unless you have a big 5 year-old), and as light as you can find. You can usually find 24" and 25" bats with "drops" of -11 to -14 ("drop" refers to the difference between the bat's weight in ounces and the bat's length in inches - a -12.5 "drop" means that a 25" bat will weigh 12.5 ounces).
Batting Helmet with Cage (League Supplied for Team): Team Helmets are shared by the team. Over the last few years, the majority of players have their own helmet. The league will supply to your manager if you don't have your own.
Batting Gloves (discouraged): All the bats have nice rubbery grips and at this age, batting gloves slow the game and practices down and distract the kids with something to fuss over. And oh, by the way, they'll lose them and you'll have to buy another pair. That being said, if your child gets a thrill from using them, go for it.
For home use, you may want the following:
Soft-core Baseballs: Depending on the manufacturer, they may be called "t-balls" or "incrediballs". We will NOT be using standard hardballs.
Wiffleball Set: The standard bat is too long for them but you can find smaller plastic bats. Provides for lots of low-risk fun in the backyard.
Batting Tee: Tees are an excellent training aid, especially while our kids are learning how to swing a bat. If you're lucky, your kid will find solo entertainment in a bucket of soft-core balls, a tee, and a bat. Don't go fancy on the tee - the fancier ones tend to be too tall for this age group.
Throw-Down Bases: Adds some fun to playing in the backyard and just as importantly familiarizes them with where to stand when batting and when and where to run to.
