For those of us who have kids at home missing cheering on their favorite teams and wishing they could get out to the ballpark to see a game, some MLB teams have added activities to their websites with young fans in mind. From virtual baseball skill clinics to summer learning programs to activity sheets with coloring pages and puzzles there is a variety of FREE at home activities themed around team mascots and players that kids can enjoy around the house. Here are six of this dad blogger's favorite MLB team websites when it comes to providing educational and entertaining baseball themed activities for kids staying at home due to the coronavirus pandemic:
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
The Baltimore Orioles Digital Kids Corner is full of interesting and amusing stay at home activities for kids. It has plenty of downloadable activity sheets with Orioles coloring pages, puzzles and games to occupy a child's time. The Orioles Head Club House Chef shares her recipe for the chocolate chip cookies she makes for players to snack on after practices and games. Their stadium's Head Groundskeeper provides STEM learning activities tied to how she keeps the team's playing field game ready.
The website's Fun at Bat at Home provides written and video instruction on baseball skills courtesy of USA Baseball that demonstrate ways kids can get exercise while developing bat and ball skills. They also feature an Orioles Health & Fitness Challenge aimed for middle school aged kids. They are also promoting the Major League Baseball Summer Slugger Program though the Orioles website which is an interactive, online course that uses the game of baseball to help kids ages 8 to 11 maintain their math and literacy skills during the summer months.
DETROIT TIGERS
Paws the team mascot want to keep kids engaged with the team by posting an ongoing series of activity sheets on the Detroit Tigers website. Each one includes puzzles and team trivia. These are great for Tigers fans that are kids and kids at heart.
Paws want to keep kids engaged so this summer he is hosting a book club. Each week while school is out, the Tiger's mascot will be publishing a list of reading selections with a different suggestion for each grade from Kindergarten through Sixth Grade. Plus kids can read to Paws by making a paper cutout of this grrrreat mascot. Plus don't miss seeing his conference call video showing what all his mascot friends around Major League Baseball are up to while fans are away from their stadiums.
CHICAGO CUBS
Chicago has a number of coloring pages, puzzles, and games featuring their mascot Clark the Cub that can be downloaded as free activity sheets. What stands out though is the team has put together a number of summer learning lesson activity books that delve into Geography & Math, Reading & English, and History using baseball themes to catch kids interest.CINCINNATI REDS
Have to give the Reds kudos for highlighting Fathers Day themed activities for kids. This dad blogger appreciated that! Their website has more of a focus on activities than the coloring pages that are sported on a lot of the other Major League Baseball team websites. They have a make your own baseball card activity and a make it yourself baseball batting fortune game. Plus they have lots of downloadable crossword puzzles, word search games and trivia challenges.
Cincinnati also promotes the Team USA Fun at Bat at Home and MLB Summer Slugger programs prominently on their website. The Red Heads Kids Club also provides activities and swag that can keep young fans connected while cheering on the team from home. The Red Heads along with the Brewers, Giants, Mariners and Tigers made this year's ageekdaddy.com list of the Best MLB Kids Clubs paid membership programs being sponsored by teams for the 2020 season.
SAN DIEGO PADRES
The Padres have gone out of their way to create an extensive library of stay at home activities for young fans to utilize during the coronavirus pandemic. Activities range from coloring pages and crossword puzzles to math problems and encouraging kids to write letters to the military. They also have a variety of non-baseball themed activities ranging from Star Wars projects to building sand castles. Have to give them a shout out like I did the Reds for having a Fathers Day section as well which featured a coupon book gift for dads and a baseball glove shaped card. Nice!
When I think of the Padres the first thing that comes to mind is the 1984 World Series team that go beat by the Tigers. Sorry San Diego but that Detroit team is one of the all-time best teams in Major League history with Jack Morris, Willie Hernandez, Kirk Gibson, Lance Parish, Sweet-Lou Whitacker, Alan Trammel, Darrel Evans, Howard Johnson, Chet Lemon and many other great players. That being said, I thought it was a nice touch for the Padres to have a stay at home activity section revolving around their 1984 team. A tip of the hat to San Diego!
The Padres also have a huge section of activities provided courtesy of local businesses. From recipe ideas to STEM lesson plans there are a lot of great things to check out in this section of the Padres website. Well done San Diego!
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
The Giants have many of the same style activity sheets as other teams have available on their websites. What stands out though is that my kids and wife say they have the most adorable coloring pages featuring their mascot. See for yourself ... what do you think?
What really stands out though is that the Giants are sponsoring virtual baseball skills summer camps that kids can participate in from home. AmeriCorps volunteers lead live streamed sessions that are complimented by video presentations by team manager Gabe Kapler and the Giants coaching staff. I think this is AWESOME!
There you have it! Six great MLB ball clubs providing stay at home activities for kids. It seems like quite a few teams have struck out when it comes to using this interruption in playing baseball to cultivate relationships with a new generation as the sports existing fan base continues to age and diminish. A few teams though such as the ones I just mentioned hit a home run in making an effort to connect with young fans and keep their interest in the game alive while players are away from the ball diamonds. Visit these teams' websites and take advantage of the activities they have to offer.
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