How to teach a youngster to catch a ball

Playing catch with a kid is a great way to bond, while helping the youngster master the basics of hand-eye coordination. Here's how to do it.

Things You'll Need

• Beach ball
• <br>Balloon
• <br>Volleyball
• <br>Foam ball
• <br>Basketball
• <br>Baseball

Instructions

1. Start off with something easy. Depending on the child's age and level of coordination, you might want to use an oversized beach ball or even a balloon.

2. Throw the ball gently to the child with an easy, underhand toss. Don't act irritated or disappointed if he misses the catch. At first, you should praise him when he picks up the ball.

3. Have him throw the ball back to you. Stand as close as you need to so that he can get it all the way to you.

4. As he gets better, move further away from him. Try out some overhand throws as well.

5. Move on to something a bit more challenging. Getting a Nerf ball, or some other kind of foam ball is a great way to go. These balls move fairly slowly and don't hurt when you get hit with them, but they are a bit more difficult to catch than beach balls.

6. As the child gets better, use a more difficult ball. A volleyball or basketball is easier to catch than a baseball, so this might be a good next step.

7. Once the youngster really learns to catch the ball, have fun with it. Practice throwing on the run, see how far away you can play catch from and try any other games that occur to you.