Bucket toss golf

It’s January and maybe there’s a blizzard outside. Perhaps it’s raining sideways with hurricane-force winds. That’s okay. Your child can be active and learn physical skills even on bad weather days. Here’s a simple game to get your toddler having fun with fundamental throwing skills.

1. Get a beanbag or a soft foam ball that is small enough for your child to grasp. A ball of socks also works well.

2. Place a series of large buckets or laundry baskets around your home to create a series of “holes” for your golf course. You might have two or three holes in your living room, and a couple more in the hallway or kitchen.

3. Use pillows or other objects to mark the “tees” where you toss from. Your child’s tees should be much closer than yours.

4. Take turns using an underhand toss to get the beanbag or ball into the buckets. Give your child lots of positive encouragement such as “Good try!” and “Great shot!”

5. As your child consistently gets the ball into the bucket, increase the difficulty by moving the tee further away.

6. When your child is proficient with the underhand toss, show them how to throw overhand and encourage them to keep playing.