Ball skills are oftentimes overlooked as an activity only for boys, or only for athletic children. However, ball skills are an important activity for children of all interests and abilities to practice consistently. Ball skills not only prepare children for gym class at school and extracurricular activities, but they help to address bilateral skills, hand-eye coordination, timing, sequencing, motor planning, and attention. girl dribbling ballBall skills can include, but are not limited to: throwing and catching, dribbling, kicking, and aiming for a target.

Let your child practice catching, throwing, and running with a basketball, tennis ball or rugby ball. This will help build their balance, movement and increase the speed of their reactions. You will notice that older / more advanced children will love to make their own rules and scoring systems too and invariably end up creating a whole new sport of their own!

There are various benefits of this activity:

1. Improvement of balance and hand-eye co-ordination
2. Improved social skills
3. Awareness of posture
4. Improved motor skills
5. Increased self-confidence
6. Enhanced muscle and bone development
7. Positive body awareness
8. Understanding the benefits of exercise

Steps:

1. Pass a ball back and forth calling out letters, numbers, or rhymes! (you can even write the alphabets or number son the ball with a marker)

2. Change the rules as you go (example: the child has to catch the ball, then dribble it once and then say the alphabet etc.)