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Ball skills

Child playing with a ball

Developing your child’s ball skills is important because ball skills can be a very complex set of skills to learn, but your child will use them in activities such as Physical Education lessons and other hobbies.

What can be difficult for children?

Children who find ball skills difficult need lots of practice so vary the activities you try so that they don’t get bored. You might need to make the activity easier to allow them to succeed.

Children learn best when they participate in activities that are just the right challenge, not too easy or too difficult.

Top tips for building confidence with ball skills

  • Start with activities where either the child or the ball are still (static) (for example, throwing, catching or kicking a stationary ball on the spot) and then move to activities where both the child and ball are in motion (dribbling a football).
  • Use items other than balls for throwing and catching e.g. bubbles, balloons, scarves. These also fall more slowly so are easier to catch.
  • Try using soft, air‑filled balls that squash easily, like a beach ball. Start with big balls and heavy bean bags and work towards lighter smaller balls.
  • When using targets, start big and work towards smaller targets.
  • Start by standing near the target or each other and then increase the distances involved.
  • Start with the ball moving slowly then increase the speed that the ball travels at.
  • Practice little and often. Try to do 5-10 throws or roll of the ball every day.

Ideas for activities which help develop ball skills

Catching - Progressive practice

  • Roll a ball between two people.
  • When a child is waiting to catch the ball, ask them to rub their hands together so they can feel and understand the area they use to catch..
  • Before attempting to catch, making the hands familiar with the feel of a ball is important.
  • Practice catching a ball with a bounce first in a straight line. Once confident, encourage your child to practice catching when throwing slightly to the left or right.
  • Emphasise any target used to encourage the child concentrate, for example ‘look at my hands’, ‘look at the wall’, ‘look at the hoop’.

Using a large play ball

  • Roll the ball, chase it and stop it by using both hands.
  • Roll the ball, chase it, turn, crouch down and pick up the ball.
  • Roll the ball against a wall. As the ball rebounds back, practice moving to grab it with both hands.

Other activities

Throw a ball or beanbag into a target. Gradually increase the throwing distance or decrease the size of the target (hoop, bucket etc.)

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