Home Ball Activities

Table bowling

Stack the empty cans/paper cups in a pyramid shape on the one end of a table.

The child has to stand on the opposite end of the table and try to hit all the empty cans/paper cups down.

If all the cans/cups do not fall at once, the child has to arrange them again and attempt to hit the target once again.

To make it challenging, set a timer in order to complete in a certain time frame.

Bowling

Using empty plastic water bottles or partially filled water bottles.

Set up the water bottles in any pattern you want. Roll a large ball or a small ball toward the bowling pins from 5-10 feet away (the farther away, the harder it will be).

Milk Jug Catch

Cut the bottom off of a plastic milk jug to make a simple ball catcher. If the edges are sharp, cover them in duct tape.

The child should stand about __5-8_ feet away and toss the ball that he/she has in their own milk jug to the parent.

To make this more challenging, increase the distance between parent and child.

- Complete this activity for __5-10_ minutes

Ball Toss

Set up laundry baskets or boxes (you can color code the baskets if you have colored paper and colored balls; if not you can set up as many targets as you like).

You may also use socks if you don’t have any “soft” balls available

Have the child stand __5-7_ feet away on a target/taped line. Have the child throw the ball either overhand or underhand into one of the baskets. Continue until all of the balls have landed in a basket.

You can make this more challenging by increasing the distance to throw or only giving one target for the child to aim for.

You may also change the size and shape of the target they are throwing to. You can also set a time frame for this activity.

Soccer

If you have a net/goal/makeshift target to use outdoors, your child can practice dribbling the ball with his/her feet.

They can also practice kicking a ball at a target from a certain distance.

They can also work on running up to kick a stationary ball as well as kick a moving ball.

You can set a time frame for how long you want to do this exercise.

Basketball

If you have a basketball hoop available inside or outside of your home, make sure the height is appropriate for your child. Have the child stand __5-8_ feet away from the hoop and throw the ball overhead into the hoop. You may also practice throwing the ball in an underhand manner into the hoop.

Continue this activity for as long as your child shows an interest.

Cardboard Box Basketball (if hoop is unavailable)

Use an old cardboard box, cutting the flaps off the top of the box. Cut another hole at the bottom of the box. Use the cardboard flaps in order to build a ramp inside the box that will allow the balls roll out.

Have the child stand __5-8_ feet away from the box (on a target/sticker/tape). Throw the ball in either overhand or underhand manners into the box.

Continue this activity for a certain amount of time.

You can use socks if you don’t have a “soft” ball available.

You can make this more challenging by increasing the distance the child stands from the box.