Top 5 Ball Handling Drills for Kindergarten Basketball

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Where do If you start when you are coaching 1st grade basketball. Most people would do a google search “Coaching 1st Grade Basketball.” That would be a good start, but sometimes google does not have the best match. We are hoping to be identified as a top resources for kindergarten basketball coaches.

The goals of teaching kindergarten basketball are simple.

HAVE FUN: Plain and simple make the kindergarten basketball as fun as possibly. As a coach, you probably have a child this age. Make sure everyone is having fun.
KEEP IT SIMPLE and age-appropriate: This is a chaotic, organized play date. You are not Coach K. Keep it simple and use drills that are easy to understand.
INVOLVE PARENTS: This is an age where children need to feel comfortable. Include the parents in the session, even if only as a cheerleader. This also will be useful if a child has to go to the bathroom or starts crying. (These things WILL HAPPEN at kindergarten basketball.
Top 10 Reasons to Teach Dribbling 1st: At this age you cannot go wrong with having players do ball-handling drills ALL THE TIME. It is the most important skill.

Stationary ball drills are great for developing hand eye coordination, especially at the younger grade levels. With each player having a ball it allows for maximum repetitions.

There are countless stationary ball drills that could be used and it’s best to start with basic drills that all players can complete successfully, At the vert 1st kindergarten session, start with these drills.

Toss and catch: This is a very simple drill, but it will be a challenge for most players at this age. The player tosses the ball in the air and catches it. Coaches should instruct the player to catch the ball with the eyes and hands. It is ideal for developing and eye coordination. To add a little excitement to the drill have the players clap and then catch the ball. This adds a level of difficulty for many of the players. A player who can clap and catch the ball will feel a sense of accomplishment.
Two claps. Once the players have mastered the toss and catch, add the team “TWO CLAPS” drill. A coach will yell “TWO CLAPS.” ALL the players will toss the ball in the air, clap their hands twice, and then catch the ball. Whenever a player does something very good, a coach can simply yell “TWO CLAPS.” The entire team will throw the ball in the air, clap their hands two times together, and catch the ball. The goal is for every player to be able to complete the drill without dropping the ball. If you can accomplish this by the end of the season, you will be up for coach of the year.
Toss, bounce, and catch: This is just a different variation of the previous drills. The player will toss the ball in the air, let the ball bounce and try to catch the ball before it bounces above the waist. This also can be challenging for many players. However with practice and focus a player will be able to succeed. For more advanced players encourage them to catch the ball as low as possible.
Circle rolls.: This drill players will stand with their feet together and roll the ball in a circle around both legs using the fingertips and fingertip pads. This is a very simple drill. Encourage players once they get the hang of it to increase the speed. After completing it in one direction, players should stop and roll the ball in the other direction.
Figure 8 rolls: This is a little bit more challenging of a basketball drill, but one that many players can complete. Players should spread their legs wide and they are simply going to roll the ball in and out of the legs in a figure 8 pattern. Once players are comfortable executing this drill encourage them to go a little bit faster. After completing the drill on one direction, attempt it going in the other direction.

Hopefully this is a good way for kindergarten coaches to develop hand-eye coordination.