How to do it
You need: A soft, lightweight ball about the size of a football.
Find a clear space indoors or outside, away from furniture with sharp edges. Start standing about one to two big steps apart, facing your child.
- Roll the ball along the floor to your child and ask them to trap it with both hands.
- Ask your child to roll it back to you.
- Move on to a gentle underarm throw, aiming for your child's chest so it is easy to catch.
- Ask your child to throw it back to you using both hands.
- As catching gets easier, step a little further apart, use a smaller ball, or add one bounce.
Form cues
- Your child watches the ball all the way into their hands.
- Hands come together to make a basket ready for the catch.
- Throws come from both hands at about chest height, roughly towards you.
Common mistakes
- Throwing hard or high so the ball is difficult to track and catch.
- Standing too far apart at the start, so most throws are missed and it stops being fun.
- Using a heavy or firm ball that could sting little hands.
Safety: Stop and message your child's physio if your child has increasing pain, a limp that does not settle, or is much more tired or unsettled than usual.