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Playing throwing games with children is a great way to boost their concentration and focus skills while improving hand-eye coordination.
You can use buckets or boxes for different sized targets, and bean bags or rolled up socks for throwing balls. See how far they can hit the targets from and talk to them all about which ones are easier or harder to score and why that might be.
Check out our families having a go in the video below.
The benefits of playing throwing games
- Throwing games are great for developing children's hand-eye coordination
- They can help with children's focus and concentration levels
- Asking questions as they play the game can get them thinking and talking about concepts like difficulty and difference in the distance and sizes of different targets
- It can help children make comparisons between things that are near/far, small/big, short/long
- It helps them to build their vocabulary with comparison words like 'longer', 'shorter', 'nearer', 'further', 'bigger' and 'smaller'.
How to play throwing games
If you've got a bean bag or two, these could be great things to throw together. Otherwise, a balled up pair of socks makes a good ball for throwing.
Set up some targets to throw the 'ball' at across the room. These could be waste paper baskets, mixing bowls, saucepans, storage boxes - anything really. These could be at different distances or of different sizes so that some of them are easier to get the ball into than others.
Encourage your child to have a go at throwing the 'ball' into the different targets. Ask them questions like 'do you think you can get it in the middle one?' to help start a conversation as they play.
As they're playing, ask them questions like 'which one is easiest?' or 'which one is hardest?' and ask them why they think this is. This will get them thinking and talking about things like the distance and the size or the height of the targets.
Offer them plenty of praise and encouragement.
More physical games to play with 4 year olds
- Why not try making paper planes with your child? This can help with early STEM skills as they think about what makes it easier or harder to throw their plane.
- You could try a game of 'red light, green light' with your child, which can help them with their listening and memory while letting off some steam.
- Building an obstacle course with preschoolers is a great way to get creative and set them some problem-solving challenges.
Image caption, Different sized bowls, boxes, or bin baskets make great targets.
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