Basket catch

This toddler catch activity is a precursor to our underhand and overhand catching activities for older children.

Setup

Small open space free of obstacles.

Things you will need

Large, soft foam ball or sock ball (made by stuffing two socks into one another). The ball should have a diameter between 10 – 15 cm.

How to play

1. Show your toddler how to stand with their arms forming a basket in front of their stomach.
2. Toss the ball into their “basket” from about 30 cm away.
3. As your child becomes confident catching at this distance, increase the distance of your toss slightly.
4. Eventually, see if your toddler can catch from 1 metre away.
5. For especially young toddlers, you might begin by simply sitting and rolling the ball back and forth between you.

With this simple catch activity, your toddler begins to track the movement of objects in flight, and they begin to coordinate the movement of the hands and arms with their sight (hand-eye coordination).