Most ball-batting trainers for small fries have junior hitting a tee, but not this one. The ESPN Better Batter Baseball wants kids to learn to play ball with a ball. The battery-operated trainer goes into action when the child taps the footplate. Presto, a mechanical arm drops down and picks up a ball that attaches to a Velcro tether on a hanging rod. The arm then goes back into position, clearing the way for the little slugger to hit the ball. Sound effects, baseball chatter and music add to the mood. The Better Batter trainer is height-adjustable for peewees to preschoolers. It comes with a bat and three balls, and runs on 3 “C” batteries (not included). It assembles and disassembles easily, and stashes in a car for training anywhere there’s a clear shot, and an adult to supervise. Fisher-Price ESPN Better Batter Baseball (K9873), $43, fisher-price.com, 800-432-5437.
Judi Dash, Gear & Gadgets Syndicate
