Toddler Activities With Playground Balls

Kicking

• Once your toddler is able to kick a ball, usually from the age of 2 according to the Parenting.com website, you can start teaching him some soccer skills. Set up a large goal for him to aim for and let him start off quite close so he doesn't miss every time. Kick the ball slowly back and forth between you, giving him a big "hooray" when he gets it in the right direction. For a 1-year-old, teach the concept of kicking by lifting him up and making both his feet tap the ball forward, or show him how to hold a teddy and use its feet to kick the ball.

Throwing and Rolling

• Set up a bowling game using empty soda bottles or toilet roll tubes. Let your toddler stand close and encourage him to "keep the ball on the ground" as he tries to knock them down. If you have more than one ball, you can play a game of giant marbles, trying to get them onto a big paper shape on the ground. Stand with your legs apart and have your toddler try to roll the ball through them and then let him be the tunnel. For an older toddler, stand with your backs to one another, bend down to put your hands through your legs and roll the ball back and forth to each other. Give a 1-year-old a big laundry basket and throw the ball into it so he thinks he is "catching it." As he gets older he can use a bucket, and eventually his cupped hands.

Fetching and Carrying

• Toddlers often love collecting things, so scatter balls around the room or backyard and give her a bag to collect them in. You could tell her they are apples fallen from the trees or dinosaur eggs. Test her balancing skills by giving her a plate to carry the ball on -- see if she can get across the room without it falling off. An older toddler could try this with her hand or a big spoon. Hide the ball and give her clues to find it. Say things like, ̶0;it is under something red,̶1; or ̶0;by the tree.̶1;

Hitting

• Your toddler will not be able to hit a moving ball with a baseball bat, but he can try hitting it off a batting tee. If you don't have one of these, you can improvise by pounding a length of PVC pipe into the ground. He can also try hitting the ball along the ground with his bat. Give him a plastic golf club or even just a stick to hit the ball around obstacles on the ground and into a pot or bucket lying on its side. Give him a tennis racket and throw the ball onto it; as it bounces off, he will feel as though he has hit it. Gradually get further away to increase this skill.