It's a Bird, It's a Plane (weensie alert)

It's a ball! So, how do you teach your tot to use it? As a self proclaimed "girl-thrower," I fear being responsible for this task myself. Yet, sadly, dear dad is FAR from Yogi Berra. So, what's a mom to do? Luckily, I came across a great article on how to teach this skill in Wondertime (a wonderful, but now sadly defunct magazine).

First of all, apparently this skill is physically possible beginning at around age 2. So, my instincts to start teaching A to catch were right on the money- points for mama! But please keep in mind that, as with any skill (be it physical or academic), every child will get there at a different rate. It's also important to understand that catching requires some serious coordination of the fingers, hands, arms, and eyes (here's where I always struggled), so be patient!

The article basically breaks the teaching of this skill down to several stages, starting with rolling. Sitting on the floor, facing your babe, you would start practicing by rolling a soft, lightweight ball back and forth between you two. As your kiddo gets the hang of this, you will then move the activity up from siting to kneeling and then EVENTUALLY to standing (a few feet apart) and gently bouncing the ball back and forth. And then finally, when the time seems right, you would move on to tossing and then gradually increase the distance between you two.

Okay! So, go on, get the ball rolling!