Skill: Throw
Suggested age: 3-12 years
Requirements: Large hard surface such as driveway, sidewalk, garage, or basement room, large round ball such as basketball or soccer ball, old milk cartons or plastic drink bottles, small amount of sand or soil
Instructions: Collect a few empty milk cartons or plastic drink bottles and fill the bottoms with 2 cm of garden soil, sand or gravel. Set up the cartons or drink bottles as bowling targets at the top end of a driveway beside your house, inside your garage, or inside a large basement room without breakable objects. Choose a place where you and your child will bowl from. You might want to let your child bowl from a shorter distance than you. Show your child how to do a basic bowling action. If you are bowling right-handed, your left leg should step forward as you bowl. If you are bowling left-handed, your right leg should step forward. TIP: Your throwing hand should come from straight behind and under your shoulder, almost brushing your leg. Take turns bowling and trying to knock down the cartons or plastic bottles.
Variations: As your child’s throwing improves, try making a game where you keep score—each milk carton can be worth 1-3 points
Benefits: This activity develops coordination of arms and torso, fine motor control, and the ability to “read” distances. These skills transfer to sports and activities that involve throwing an object accurately over a perceived distance (e.g., balls, frisbees, ribbons, sticks, batons).
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