Not only is it fun, but toys also play an important role in a child’s development, Moms. One of the toys that has many benefits for your little one’s development is a ball. Children’s balls come in various types, from those made of fabric, rubber, or silicone, to solid ones, air-filled, and even those that make sounds when rolled or bounced.
Playing with a ball is known to enhance children’s motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and timing, which are essential parts of child development. For more details, here are the benefits of playing with ball toys for your little one.
- Strengthening Motor Skills
According to research titled The Efficiency of Infants’ Exploratory Play Is Related to Longer-Term Cognitive Development, it is stated that a ball is one of the toys that a child should have. Why? This is because a ball can help strengthen motor skills, familiarize children with their environment, develop upper body mobility, help children grow stronger, and develop the muscles they need for running and jumping.
- Training Balance
Generally, little ones will be attracted to rolling objects, like balls. Rolling a ball will engage many muscles and body coordination, allowing them to learn to balance their bodies.
Playing with a ball will make children feel like they are controlling something beyond just their own movements, which can help train their balance and allow them to practice transferring objects from one hand to the other.
- Developing Hand-Eye Coordination and Timing Skills
As quoted from Livestrong, playing with a ball can help a child’s timing, such as in basketball or soccer. This is because when a child dribbles a basketball, they create a rhythm and need to time themselves before throwing the ball into the hoop. Similarly, when kicking a ball, children will practice timing before trying to score a goal. Or when catching a ball, they will time it just right before catching it.
Additionally, inviting children to play simple ball games like throwing and catching from an early age can help them develop hand-eye coordination. This development can help children stay focused when reading or writing to ensure their writing stays within the lines.
- Enhancing Cognitive Function
Ball games can also help develop a child’s cognitive function. This is because ball games teach little ones to anticipate the ball’s movement, direction, and speed. Training cognitive functions early can help improve memory and cognitive skills, making it easier for children to understand lessons when they sit in school.
