Gathering Tennis Balls (Fine Motor)

Developing finger dexterity, using target words, empty and full, and following directions

Rated:

Video

Materials

• can of yellow tennis balls (use lemons, golf balls, ping pong balls, roll up socks as balls, or other small balls and a bowl instead of tennis can)
• yellow paper square

Completion

• Make a yellow square (square has 4 straight sides all same length and 4 corners) from a sheet of yellow construction paper
• Help the child measure and cut out the square (Month 1 Activity 3)
• Ask the child to stand on the yellow square
• Give a child a full can of yellow tennis balls
• Ask the child to empty the can by turning it upside down
• Let the child gather up the yellow balls, and place in the can to make it full again and return to the yellow square
• Ask the child to touch the tennis balls and say how they feel
• Ask the child to empty the can again by turning upside down
• Ask the child to put one ball in the can, return to the yellow square and ask if the can is full (no) 
• Empty the can again
• Ask the child to gather the balls but leave one ball out of the can
• Return to yellow square. Ask if the can is full (no)
• Ask the child to empty the can
• Ask the child to gather up the yellow balls to make the can full (all 3 balls)
• Return to the yellow square