Throwing up and catching a ball is a fundamental motor skill that children use as a foundation for many ball games and activities. Children need patience and encouragement to develop this skill over time. Throwing and catching a ball promotes children's hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness and gross motor skills. It is advisable to use age-appropriate balls to minimize the risk of injury. Soft foam balls reduce the fear of catching and are excellent for catching a ball out of the air. There are different ways of throwing and catching the ball to make playing with the ball more varied. The easiest way to play is to throw the ball up with both hands and catch it out of the air, which is usually successful at around 5 to 6 years of age. All other exercises are more difficult:
» Throwing and catching the ball with both hands
» Throwing the ball up with the right hand and catching it with both hands
» Throwing the ball up with the left hand and catching it with both hands
» Throwing the ball up with the right hand and catching it with the same hand
» Throwing the ball up with the left hand and catching it with the same hand
» Throwing the ball up with the right hand and catching it with the left hand
» Throw the ball up with the left hand and catch it with the right hand
» Throw the ball, clap your hands once and catch it
» Throw the ball, spin around once and catch it
» Throw ball, close eyes and catch
These exercises help to develop joy in playing with the ball and improve motor skills. By taking a few minutes sometimes to practice throwing and catching, parents foster this motor skill and strengthen the bond with the child. Of course, the joy is all the greater when parents also show off their ball skills. This contributes to the child experiencing family time together and allows adults to enjoy a brief break from the stress of daily life.