Big Ball Roll

What you need

• large soft ball

How to do it

1. Sit a little way apart on the floor
2. Roll the ball to them and open your arms for the return
3. Move further back as they get the hang of it

Why it matters

Pushing a big ball away and chasing it down builds whole-body coordination and the back-and-forth of taking turns.

What they're learning

Hand-eye teamwork

Watching the ball approach and getting hands ready in time builds the same tracking skill used catching a thrown object or a falling cup later.

Two-handed push

Using both arms together to send the ball back builds the bilateral coordination behind holding paper steady while drawing.

Turn-taking

Waiting for the ball to come back before rolling again is an early, physical version of the conversational back-and-forth of taking turns talking.

What to look for

Watch for their arms opening up in anticipation just before the ball arrives, not after it hits them.

A tip

Sit on a rug or grass rather than hard floor — a fumbled catch on carpet is a lot less discouraging than one that stings.

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