Last modified on September 3, 2024
Balls and balloons are of great interest for developing the skills of toddlers.
Rolling them, throwing them and catching them are all motor skills that the little human will have to explore before fully mastering ball games.
With the balls, Baby better understands the limits of his own body, he learns to coordinate his two hands and his eyes.
Ball games for children from 6 months old
At first, Baby will discover the pleasure of holding and manipulating the ball, especially if the latter presents easy grips. Indeed, Baby is now able to link his first approach movements (arm directed towards the object) and the grasp (with his hand).
His hands aren't the only explorers. Bullets touched with his fingers and palms will automatically pass through his mouth. That's his way of discovering shapes and textures with precision.
You'll notice that his wrists are becoming increasingly mobile (ideal for screwing, unscrewing, etc.). Catching a ball is excellent for his hand-eye coordination. When you present him with another object, he'll initially tend to drop the one he was already holding, but with a little practice and development, he'll learn to hold onto the first ball while taking the second. Thus, balls and balloons They must be chosen according to two criteria: sensory awakening and/or fine motor skills.
How to encourage your child's sensory development?
It's so much fun for a child to develop their senses! Every texture, every bump, and every roughness offers an opportunity to stimulate their tactile senses. You can gently roll the ball over Baby's body or simply let them explore with their chubby little hands.
Beyond tactile curiosity, Baby will also love balls that make a sound when shaken. When choosing a ball, opt for soft, low-intensity sounds (yes, you'll thank us later ;)).
How to develop Baby's skills?
Fine motor skills are essential for everyone. Babies develop them from a very young age and We can encourage him in his experiments.. Her little hands will be useful for so many things: drawing, playing, writing, making things, etc. You can accompany her in her first manual steps with grasping balls, their shapes allowing her little fingers to grip better.
Ball games for around 1 year olds
Baby will gradually develop its ability to roll the ball, then throw it.
By sitting facing him and forming a diamond shape with your four legs, you can throw the ball to him, gently rolling it, and then catch it yourself. The desired object detaches from him and returns. The ball rolls and allows you to to become aware of the space thus created. Baby also learns that what he is holding is not an integral part of his body. His pincers (grip between thumb and forefinger) develops more and more and you will be surprised to see him/her precisely grip the small cords of the sensory balls (and your hair, ouch).
Baby will spontaneously play at passing the ball from one hand to the other, thus developing their coordination.
As they get older, your toddler will likely enjoy engaging in ball games or even team sports like handball, THE rugby or even the soccer, But that's another story!
Our articles on the same topic
- How to encourage the development of fine motor skills in babies?
- A guide to early learning for parents of babies from 0 to 24 months
To learn more about ball games:
- Read the’article from Naître et grandir
- Browse Physical learning in early childhood by Henriette Bloch, published in Enfances & Psy 2003/4 (no. 24) on cairn.info
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