Requirements

• Gymnasium or outdoor space with hard ground surface, lightweight basketball or volleyball for young children, standard basketball for older children and teens.

Instructions

1. Child in a wheelchair passes back and forth with another child or adult.
2. Start 2 metres apart and then move farther apart when more challenge is desired.
3. Practice throwing one-handed, and practice throwing two-handed (e.g. two-handed overhead pass, two-handed chest pass).

Variations

• This activity develops throwing and catching skills together with core strength.
  If you want to make passing easier, try using a lighter ball (e.g. volleyball).
• For extra challenge, try to pass and catch while moving.

Benefits

This activity develops throwing and catching skills together with core strength.

Requirements

• Open space with hard pavement (concrete or asphalt)
• A basketball or large bouncy ball (appropriately sized for your child)

Instructions

1. Dribbling means bouncing a ball continuously with the palm and fingers of the hand.
2. Show your child how to do a two-handed dribble (both hands contact the ball at the same time).
3. Show your child how to do right- and left-handed dribble. One hand will be more difficult depending on whether your child is left-handed or right-handed.
4. Practice all three dribbles.
5. Play a mirror game: when you dribble with your left hand, so must your child. Vary the dribbles, speed, height and other factors to make the game fun.

Variations

Try the mirror game with your child leading

Benefits

This activity develops hand-eye coordination, balance, and rhythmical movement.

Requirements

• Get a large, soft foam ball, or make a sock ball (stuff two socks into one another) – the ball should have a diameter between 10-15 cm

Instructions

1. Show your toddler how to stand with their hands and forearms forming a bowl or “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.

Variations

• Find the right level of difficulty for your child – don’t challenge your child to catch from more than 1 metre distance if they only catch 1 out of 3 tosses – keep it fun by ensuring some success

Benefits

This activity develops hand-eye coordination, gross motor control, and the ability to track moving objects in the air. These skills transfer to sports and activities that involve flying objects (e.g., balls, shuttlecocks, frisbees, ribbons, sticks, batons).

Requirements

• 60-80 cm smooth stick or narrow piece of lumber that fits in child’s hands
• Hockey tape
• Ball(s) 10-25 cm in diameter or empty tin can

Instructions

1. Wrap one end of the stick with hockey tape to form a handgrip.
2. In an outdoor place (yard or park), hit the ball or tin can around on the ground.
3. Make sure your child does not hit animals or other children.

Variations

• As your child develops better control of the stick, try rolling a ball for them to hit

Benefits

This activity develops hand-eye coordination and timing while using a striking tool (such as a bat, a racquet, or a hockey stick)

Requirements

• Small two-wheel pedal bike

Instructions

1. Introduce your early elementary age child to wheeling on two wheels.
2. Walk alongside your child as they start to pedal with their legs.
3. Provide physical support as they start to use the pedals.
4. Stay on sidewalks of quiet streets and park pathways.
5. See how far your child can wheel without your support (but stay close for safety).TIP: Make sure your child always wears a helmet.

Variations

–

Benefits

*This activity develops dynamic balance and coordination essential for long-term success in cycling.

Requirements

• Open outdoor space
• Regulation baseball or children’s softball (10 inch and 11 inch)
• Standard leather baseball gloves

Instructions

1. In an open area without obstructions, throw gently overhand and play catch with your child.
2. Start with short distances such as 3-5 metres apart.
3. Increase to longer distances of 8-10 metres as your child’s catching improves.
4. Show your child how to stand ready, with glove in the air, feet slightly apart, and ready to move side-to-side to catch.

Variations

• Increase the speed and force of your throws only as your child gains confidence and consistency in catching
• Try using an object as a “home plate” (e.g. jacket, sweater, piece of cardboard or wood) – stand behind it and encourage your child to “pitch” accurately to you from 10-12 metres away

Benefits

This activity develops coordination of arms and torso, fine motor control, and the ability to “read” distances. These skills transfer to sports and activities that involve throwing an object accurately over a perceived distance (e.g., balls, frisbees, ribbons, sticks, batons).