Ball Roll
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Description
Sit or stand across from your child and roll a soft ball back and forth. Add simple targets and challenges as they warm up. Works indoors on a smooth floor or in any small outdoor space.
What to prep
- soft_ball
- floor_area
- target_container
Play guide
- 1Sit on the floor facing your child about 4-6 feet apart. Have a soft ball or rolled-up socks between you.
- 2Roll the ball gently toward your child. Encourage them to stop it with both hands and roll it back to you.
- 3After a few basic rolls, add a simple variation: roll it to the side so they have to move to catch it, roll it faster, or try to roll it through a gap between two objects.
- 4Place a small target on the floor - a bowl, a folded towel, or two shoes as goalposts - and take turns trying to roll the ball into it.
- 5Move further apart when your child is comfortable, or stay close if they prefer. Follow their lead.
Success signals
Your child tracks the ball visually as it rolls, moves their hands to intercept it, and rolls it back with some direction rather than random patting. They ask to continue when you suggest stopping.
If it's tricky
The ball rolls past your child every time: Move closer until they can reliably stop it, then gradually increase distance. They want to throw rather than roll: Gently redirect - "We're rolling today - see if you can make it go straight." They lose interest in the back-and-forth: Switch immediately to the target variation - something to aim at keeps attention longer than pure passing.