Have a Catch

Michael’s physical therapists worked with him on catching and throwing. It didn’t come very naturally to him.  At the start, we had to prompt him by saying, “Catching hands” and Mikey would put his hands together with his palms up. We would gently toss a light ball (a beach ball or a stuffed ball) directly into his hands. 

Then, over time, he got into it and enjoyed the interaction with another person which required no words.

Taking Turns

A turn-taking game like catch is a precursor to conversation. It is relationship building.  It involves staying engaged with another person. To be successful, you must pay attention to the other person, keep your eyes on them. So many important skills being built in one fun brother activity.

Throwing

Throwing is one of those skills that can get tricky.  Your child needs to be able to understand that they may only throw a ball and that they may only throw it outside, even though they are capable of throwing anything at any time.

Teach throwing at your own risk.  Mistakes will be made while learning, but I hope no windows will be broken in the process.