Ball skills can include things like throwing, catching, dribbling, kicking, and aiming for a target. These skills help with using both sides of the body, hand and eye coordination, timing, planning movements, and paying attention – so they are very important.
Strategies and advice
Ball activities can be changed to make them easier for children to help them develop their skills, for example, use a large, light, soft ball first, over a short distance.
Think about the colour of the ball. Some children might find one colour easier to follow than others.
The material of the ball may also make a difference. Try different types to see if this helps.
Throwing balls and beanbags at targets (into buckets and through hoops)
First, use a big, soft ball and place the target close to the child. As their skills get better, make the target smaller and move it further away.
Target games include ‘Velcro Darts’, where you throw Velcro balls at a target, and ‘Hoopla’, where you toss rings onto sticks. You can also play by throwing rings or balls into bowls or baskets. You could use things like waste paper bins or storage boxes to make it fun.
Rolling a ball between people or towards the wall and receiving it back.
Children who have trouble planning their movements might find it hard to know where the ball will go. This is even tougher when the ball moves fast and they don’t have enough time to get ready to catch it.
Throwing and catching while standing still
Some children may be scared when a ball is thrown at them. They might try to avoid being hit by the ball rather than catching it. Use different slow-moving balls or objects like balloons, foam balls, and scarves. Slowing down the ball gives the child time to move and follow it, making it easier to catch.
Start with two-handed catching. If this is too hard, use a basket or bucket for the child to hold. Encourage the child to throw the item above their head and catch it. Stand closer to the child at first to ensure they can catch the ball. Get the child’s attention so they know the ball is coming. Gradually, move further away.
Catching while moving (dynamic catching)
Walk around in a circle, throwing the ball back and forth to each other. Start with a small circle and slowly make the distance bigger. Begin with a slow walk, and then try to walk faster. You can also try bouncing the ball between each other.
Put a mark on a wall as a target and have the child walk towards it and throw a ball to see if they can hit the mark and catch the ball again.
Ask the child to stand with their feet apart and pass a ball in a figure of eight around their legs, first one way, then the other.
Try throwing a ball against a wall, let it bounce, and then catch it. If this is too easy, try clapping your hands between throwing and catching the ball.
Kicking skills
Start by encouraging the child to kick the ball to a goal or at a target.
Practice gently kicking the ball from one foot to the other (called dribbling).
Encourage the child to kick a ball gently around obstacles or in/out of cones.
Encourage the child to try sports such as football, rugby, golf, tennis, hockey, touch ball, and basketball.
Top tips
- Other fun activities like swimming, dancing, running games, climbing, and jumping all help your child’s coordination which will in turn help them with their ball skills.
- You can help children learn from missed catches by talking about why it happened. For example, was the throw too hard or not straight?
- Break learning into two parts. Throwing is one task and catching is another.
Last reviewed February 2026