Catch and Throw Practice Drills

A large soft ball (like a foam ball or beach ball)

A tennis ball

A medium rubber ball (like a playground ball)

Start with the largest, softest ball. Stand about 4 feet from your child, facing each other. The short distance ensures early success.

Toss the ball in a gentle arc toward your child's chest. Say "Ready? Here it comes!" so they're prepared.

Coach their catch: "Watch the ball. Hands out. Squeeze when it touches." Most kids at this age catch by trapping the ball against their chest — that's perfectly fine.

After they catch, have them throw it back. Let them choose underhand or overhand — both are valid. Just encourage them to aim for your chest.

Do 10 catches. Count together. If they drop it, no worries. Pick it up, count the successful ones, and keep going.

Switch to the medium rubber ball. It's smaller and bounces differently, requiring more precision. Do 10 more catches.

For 5-6 year olds, try the tennis ball. Small, fast, and challenging. Even adults fumble these. Do as many as they enjoy.

Gradually step back after every 10 successful catches. Each extra foot of distance adds reaction time and requires more throwing power.

Bigger balls are easier to catch. Always start with the biggest ball available and work down in size. This builds confidence before introducing difficulty.

"Watch the ball" is the most important coaching cue. Most missed catches happen because the child looks away at the last moment. Gentle reminders help.

Throwing and catching are separate skills. If your child can catch but their throws go wild, practice just throwing at a target (like a bucket) separately.

For 3-year-olds, start with rolling the ball on the ground and work up to tossing. Ground ball catching is easier because the ball moves slower.

Daily 5-minute catch sessions are more effective than one long session per week. Ball skills improve with frequency.