Tilt The Ball Home

What you need

• a shallow cardboard box lid
• a felt tip
• a ball pit ball or a ping pong ball

How to do it

1. Cut a hole in the middle of the lid, a little bigger than the ball.
2. Draw a circle round the hole and call it the ball's home.
3. Put the ball in a corner and show them how to tilt the lid so it rolls towards the hole.
4. Let them hold both sides and try to roll it home.
5. Cheer when it drops through, catch it underneath and go again.

Why it matters

It looks simple but the ball keeps rolling past, so getting it in feels like a real win.

What they're learning

Two hands together

Tilting the lid takes both hands working at once.

Small adjustments

Tiny tips steer the ball, which helps with control.

Having another go

Missing and trying again is built into the game.

What to look for

Watch how big their tilts are at the start and how small they get. Small, careful tilts are what gets the ball home.

A tip

Use a ball too big to fit through a toilet roll tube. A ball pit ball works well in a bigger hole.

More like this

Sponge Squeeze Bucket Transfer from 14 months · 20-35 min As Tall as Teddy from 18 months · 5-10 min Cotton Bud Colour Match from 24 months · 10-15 min Twist The Lid from 26 months · 5-10 min