Early Ball Skills typically are not assessed until a child is 12 months of age. Prior to age 12 months, it’s encouraged to give your child various opportunities to play with balls of different sizes and textures.
- Hand-Eye Coordination
- Visual Tracking
- Cause and Effect
- Grasping
- Finger Muscle Strength
- Spatial Awareness
- Balance and Coordination
Ball skills can begin to develop during floor time activities as an infant.
- Tummy Time: playing with a ball allows for weight shifting and visual tracking, which can lead to rolling over
- Sitting: rolling a ball back and forth works on balance and taking turns
- Crawling: rolling the ball forward can encourage crawling skills
- O-Balls
- The o-ball is a lightweight, hollow ball that is easy for infants to grasp and hold. Some o-balls have a rattle sound that provides a cause and effect.
- *Tip: place a scarf or bandana in the inside of the o-ball for your child to pull out. This activity works on pincer grasp, which is a part of fine motor development.
- Sensory Balls
- Sensory balls come in various textures to allow for a baby to enhance tactile skills, sensory awareness, and engage visual senses.
By 12 months a child should be able to:
- Roll a ball forward, at least 3ft
- Throw a ball in standing in any direction
- Begin to kick a ball forward, without bringing foot off the ground
If you notice your child not performing these skills, give our office a call. We would be happy to help your child gain these skills.
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Photos: Pixabay