Dr. Steve Sanders defines catching as receiving and controlling an object by the body or its parts. For a child to do that, he says, the child will first probably have to overcome his fear of the ball or other object, so games that teach catching should use appropriate catch-objects, such as balloons or bean bags, which travel more slowly through the air and are larger, softer and easier to catch. One game example allows the child to play solo as he learns to toss a balloon above his head and then to catch it as it drifts down. Another solo game involves a bean bag and a launcher, which is simply a plank of wood with a dowel attached underneath. The child then learns to place the bean bag at the long end of the plank, and then to stomp at the other end, launching the bag in the air so he can catch it as it rises.
In addition to solo games, kids do well learning fundamental catching skills by playing interactive, one-on-one games. For example, teach a toddler to catch with a larger, lightweight ball, such as a beach ball, that you roll to her and she rolls back to you. Once she's mastered that, deflate the ball a bit and, while sitting a couple of feet away, ask her to throw the ball to you. In this way, you demonstrate how to catch. Then toss the ball to her, asking her to catch it. Be enthusiastic and praise her for her efforts and success. This is a great exercise that develops hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. It also teaches how to play in an upbuilding, noncompetitive way.
Playing catch in an interactive group game takes things up a notch. One game, called Wonderball, calls for kids to stand in a circle and to pass or toss a ball from child to child without letting the ball touch the ground. While they do this, they sing, "The wonderball goes round and round. Do not let it touch the ground. Because if it does, I am telling you we start all over." One version of the game "outs" a child if he drops the ball. But consider eliminating this feature so the kids can focus on developing their catching skills while having fun.
Dr. Sanders notes that one main reason why many adults don't participate regularly in physical activities is that they weren't regularly exposed to such activities when they were young. "If you are not skilled in throwing or catching you will most likely not participate in games where those skills are needed," he says. Progressively learning catching skills while young opens up a bigger world to kids where they can be more active and have more friends. There's a word of caution, though: The Department of Education out of Victoria, Australia, cites abundant evidence showing that simply playing games that exercise fundamental motor skills, such as catching, aren't enough. The games must focus specifically on developing catching skills. Otherwise, the kids might end up just playing a game instead of learning a skill.