Season checklist
The first tee ball season, packed in one bag
What a five-year-old actually needs for the first season, what can wait, and the one thing every family forgets.
The short list that covers game one
- Two pairs of game pants, because the first one is in the wash exactly when you need it.
- Sliding shorts underneath, even in tee ball. Kids copy the big-league slide long before anyone teaches it.
- A compression layer for cold spring mornings on the bench.
- A water bottle with a name tag. Every dugout has six identical ones.
What can wait a season
Fancy cleats, batting gloves in three colors and a personal bat bag can all wait until you know the kid wants a second season. First-year tee ball runs on enthusiasm and snacks, not equipment depth.
Sizing for a kid who will not stop growing
Buy the pants with the growing room in the waist, not the length. Elastic waists with a drawcord carry a kid through a whole season of growth spurts. Hemming or cuffing handles the length, but a waist that is outgrown mid-season means new pants in June.
The thing everyone forgets
A second pair of socks in the bag. Spring fields are wet, five-year-olds find every puddle, and a dry pair at the half turns a meltdown back into a ballplayer.
