Larry, what you need are some rag balls. I have been a P.E. teacher for nearly 20 years, and currently teach elementary kids on the Arizona border. They don't have money for gloves, and neither does my school, so I use rag balls in my P.E. program. They are the same size and weight as softballs, but are made with compressed rags which take the sting out of catching them with bare hands. However, they are not so easy to find. Try this link:
http://512-067.net/rag_ball_no_sting..._109411745.php