Balls are magical to young children because they roll, bounce and fly in unexpected ways. Small hands can easily and safely grasp their smooth surfaces. Many Australian children also follow or play ball sports, like rugby, netball and soccer.
Early childhood educators can support children's interest in balls to develop their social and gross motor skills.
NQS and EYLF
Balls provide opportunities for children to exercise to stay healthy. The National Quality Standard (NQS) requires childcare services to promote physical activity that is appropriate for each child (2.1.3).
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) learning outcomes ask children to take increasing responsibility for their own physical learning, wellbeing (3.2), physical health and personal safety (3.3).
Ball skills
Early childhood is an appropriate time for children to develop these ball skills:
- Holding
- Rolling
- Bouncing
- Catching
- Throwing
- Kicking
- Dribbling
Learning experiences
Scrunch paper
Teach children to make balls by scrunching paper or wrapping it in layers like pass the parcel. Can you make tiny balls the size of peas? Do you have enough scrap paper to make a giant ball?
Paint with balls
Provide children with trays of paint and balls (choose old balls that can get messy). Demonstrate how to dip balls in paint and roll them over paper to make prints.
Get mathematical
Encourage children to count while playing with balls:
- Count each bounce.
- Count the number of blue balls.
Set up sorting and matching games:
- Throw balls into the correct coloured bucket.
- Sort balls from small to large.
- Create a pattern using different types of balls.
Find other things that look like balls:
- Planets
- Fruit
- Balloons
- Christmas baubles
Play with friends
Balls offer so many social opportunities for pairs, small groups and large groups. Educators can encourage friendships by suggesting two children throw, kick or roll a ball to each other.
- Hot potato is a circle game where children pass a ball quickly to the next person, like it's a very hot potato. When the music stops, the person holding the ball is eliminated from the game. This continues until only one child is left.
- Tunnel ball is a group game that involves children standing behind each other in a row and spreading their legs to form a tunnel. The child at the front rolls the ball through the tunnel. The last child fetches the ball and runs to the front. View a tunnel ball video by Netball WA.
- Keepy uppy involves a group of children hitting a balloon to keep it in the air, like in the television show Bluey (Season 1, Episode 3). Try this game with a ball.
- Play a simplified version of footy or soccer by using a cardboard box as a goal. Play basketball or netball by throwing a ball into a box that's placed up high, like on a table. Use cereal boxes to set up a game of bowling. Roll the ball along the ground to knock the boxes over.
Learning environments
Build a ball pit
What impact would a ball pit have on your children's play? Do you have a corner of your room to turn into a ball pit? Would it be better outside, like in the sandpit?
Large bags of small balls are cost-effective these days. However, you can use any balls that you have already - get creative!
Discussions
Educators can initiate discussions during ball play that promote scientific thinking:
- Can you see which ball bounces the highest?
- Which ball is the heaviest?
- Which ball rolls down the slide the fastest? Why?