Ball Bouncing (Gross Motor)
Ball bouncing with verbal skills
Instructions
- Practice ball bouncing - let the child push the ball to the floor (dribble) and catch and let the child throw ball up in the air and catch
- Add different ways to catch: bounce once and catch, bounce twice and catch, bounce and catch below knees, bounce and catch above knees, bounce above belly button, bounce pass to a partner, etc.
- Bounce and let the child think and say a word that begins with G (go, gather, good, game, etc.)
- Bounce and let the child think and say a word that begins with Y (yellow, you, yo-yo, yell, etc.)
*A rubber playground ball about 8 inches in diameter works well with preschool size hands
Simplify
It is easier to begin by bouncing a ball from adult to child for them to catch. When they become good at catching, let them initiate their own bounce and catch
Here is a video to review the circle shape
Extend
Use different sizes of balls and different types of bounce balls (tennis balls, basketball, soccer ball, racquetball, small hi bounce balls, etc.)
QUESTIONS FOR CHILD
What is your favorite sport that uses a ball and why?
Tell me who plays ball games with you the most? Do you like playing with balls?
Materials
- playground ball ( 8 inch ball is ideal for small hands)
Share This Activity
Curriculum Plan Resources
Skills Focus
- Shape - Review
- Color - Green
- Number - Five, 5
- Alphabet Letters - G, Y
- Senses - Review
- Character Trait - Confidence
- Target Words - Stop, Go, Slow, More
Monthly Proverb
Hasidic- The man who has confidence in himself gains the confidence of others
Did You Know?
"Advances in cognitive science make it clear that very young children are capable of much more academically than was previously imagined." The Albert Shanker Institute
Books to Read
"Sheep In A Shop"
by Nancy Shaw (Activity 7) (audiobook option)
"I Don't Want To Be A Frog"
by Dev Petty (Activity 8)
"Popcorn"
by Frank Asch (Activity 16)
"Sheep in A Shop". VIDEO
by Nancy Shaw (Activity 7)
"I Don't Want To Be A Frog". VIDEO
by Dev Petty (Activity 8)
"Popcorn". VIDEO
by Frank Asch (Activity 16)
Music Playlist
"I Believe in You"
by Divo and Celine Dion Album IL Divo/Ancora (Vocal Classical) (Activity 18)
"She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain"
by Barbershop Quartets (Activity 19)
"What’s Your Name"
by Mike Soloway Album Hungry for Manners (Childrens) (Activity 1)
"What's Your Name" VIDEO
by Mike Soloway (Activity 1)
"She'' Be Comin Round the Mountain" VIDEO
by Learning Station (Activity 19)
"I Believe In You" VIDEO
by Divo and Celine Dion (Activity 18)
Monthly Materials List
Click Here to view the list!
Fingerplay / Poems / Songs
Red says STOP
(Activity 14 Month 6)
Red says STOP
Green says GO
Yellow says WAIT
You better go SLOW
5 Little Ducks Went Out to Play
(Activity 26 Month 6)
Five little ducks Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
But only four little ducks came back.
Four little ducks Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
But only three little ducks came back.
Three little ducks Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
But only two little ducks came back.
Two little ducks Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
But only one little duck came back.
One little duck Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
But none of the five little ducks came back.
Sad Mother Duck Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
The sad Mother Duck said
"QUACK QUACK QUACK."
And all of the five little ducks came back.