How it Plays

Find a beach ball or a large plastic or rubber ball. Create a ball-rolling lane between the two of you with your legs, a row of books, or a couple of cardboard boxes. Seat your child across from you at one end of the lane, then sit down at the other end. Get his attention by saying, "Look, here comes the ball!" Slowly roll the ball toward your baby. He will delight in its gradual approach. Help him catch the ball with both hands, and then show him how to send it back to you. "Now it's your turn to roll the ball back to Mommy!" Most babies will find it easier to toss the ball than to roll it; rolling takes more focus and control. Show your child how to push the ball with both hands.

What You'll Need

Learning and Growing

Rolling a ball back and forth helps develop your baby's eye-hand coordination, an important skill he'll need not only for throwing and catching but for eating, drawing, and writing.