Requirements

• Open and flat outdoor space at least 25m by 40m
• Store-bought plastic baseball bat and ball

Instructions

1. Purchase a lightweight plastic baseball bat and ball from a toy store.
2. Find a large, open outdoor space free of trees and obstacles.
3. Toss the ball softly underhand to your child so they can practice hitting.TIP: Make sure your child stands sideways. One foot should be closer to you than the other.

   TIP: If your child is right-handed, they should have their left foot closer to you and left hand on the bottom of their grip.

   TIP: If your child is left-handed, they should have their right foot closer to you and right hand on the bottom of their grip.

   TIP: Toss the ball between their waist and their shoulders.

   TIP: The ball should pass between 40-60 cm away from your child.

   TIP: They should stand ready with the bat held behind them at shoulder height.

Variations

• As your child’s batting improves, increase the speed of your toss.

Benefits

This activity develops hand-eye coordination and timing while using a bat (i.e., striking tool). These skills also transfer to striking with a racquet or stick.

Requirements

• Open space, preferably indoor
• Balloons (round type)
• Piece of string or ribbon 3-5 metres
• Scotch tape or masking tape

Instructions

1. Blow up a balloon of the “round” type.
2. Inflate to medium or medium-low pressure, so the balloon “floats” only a bit but not too much.
3. Hang the string or ribbon horizontally about one metre above the floor between two chairs, or between bookshelves or countertops. This is your “net”.
4. Using your fingertips, hit the balloon back and forth across the net with your child or children.
5. If someone allows the balloon to touch the floor on their side, the person on the other side of the net scores a point.
6. Play first person to 5 points, and then start again.
7. Your hands are not allowed to cross over the top of the net.
8. You are allowed to touch the balloon more than once on your side.

Variations

• If you have more than one child, or more than one adult, try playing a fun family tournament where family members take turns playing each other

Benefits

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

Requirements

• Open space, preferably indoor
• Balloons (round type)
• Piece of string or ribbon 3-5 metres
• Scotch tape or masking tape
• Paper plates
• Paint stir sticks
• Duct tape

Instructions

1. Blow up a balloon of the “round” type.
2. Inflate to medium or medium-low pressure, so the balloon “floats” a little bit but not too much.
3. Create simple “tennis racquets” by taping a paint stir stick to the back of each paper plate.
4. Hang the string or ribbon horizontally about one metre above the floor between two chairs, or between bookshelves or countertops. This is your “net”.
5. Using your racquets, hit the balloon back and forth across the net with your child or children.
6. If someone allows the balloon to touch the floor on their side, the person on the other side of the net scores a point.
7. Play first person to 5 points, and then start again.
8. Your racquets are not allowed to cross over the top of the net.
9. You are allowed to touch the balloon more than once on your side if necessary.

Variations

• If you have more than one child, or more than one adult, try playing a fun family tournament where family members take turns playing each other

Benefits

This activity develops hand-eye coordination and timing while using a simple racquet (i.e., striking tool). These skills also transfer to striking with a bat or stick.

Requirements

• Large indoor or outdoor space free of obstacles
• Large round balloon inflated to low pressure (not hard)

Instructions

1. Inflate a round balloon to a low pressure so it is not too hard or likely to pop.
2. Find a large indoor or outdoor space free of obstacles.
3. Practice kicking the balloon with your toddler.
4. If the balloon is kicked high into the air, try to catch it with your hands.

Variations

• Tie a long string to the balloon and hang it from a doorframe or a tree. The balloon should hang about 5cm above the ground.

Benefits

This activity develops leg coordination, balance, and gross motor control in the lower body. These skills transfer to sports and activities that involve dynamic balance and rhythmical movement (e.g., soccer, basketball, volleyball, racquet sports, martial arts, dance).

Requirements

• Open space indoor or outdoor
• Balloons (round type)

Instructions

1. Blow up a few balloons of the “round” type.
2. Inflate to medium pressure, so the balloon “floats” a bit but not too much.
3. Toss one balloon into the air above your head.
4. Show your child how to keep up the balloon using fingertips and palms.
5. Challenge your child to take a turn keeping the balloon in the air.
6. If the balloon touches the ground, switch turns.

Variations

• After a while practicing, try a competition where you count your touches out loud before the balloon hits the ground
• Try with two balloons at the same time, one balloon each – see who keeps up their balloon longest
• See if you can keep up two or three balloons at the same time
• Keep up the balloon with different body parts (knees only, feet only, elbows only, head only)

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 striking or catching an object in the air (e.g., balls, frisbees, ribbons, sticks, batons).

Requirements

• Indoor space free of obstacles and valuable breakables such as lamps, pictures and plants
• Large round balloon
• Empty cardboard tube from wrapping paper

Instructions

1. Inflate the balloon until it is relatively hard.
2. Show your toddler how to hit the balloon around the room with the cardboard tube.
3. Allow your toddler to have fun hitting the balloon around the room in any manner they like.TIP: You don’t need to “coach” any batting or hitting technique.

Variations

• If you have two cardboard tubes, try to take turns hitting the balloon to each other while keeping the balloon in the air.

Benefits

This activity develops hand-eye coordination and timing while using a simple bat (i.e., striking tool). These skills also transfer to striking with a racquet or stick.