Acknowledgements - gapitc

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Stocking Ball Basketball
Make “stocking balls” by cutting the feet from old pairs of pantyhose, stuffing
each piece with newspaper or soft material, and sewing the ends together.
Put several of these in a laundry basket or large box. You can use medium-sized
rubber balls too!
Help your child dump the balls onto the floor (or grass) nearby.
Show him how to stand next to the basket and throw the balls back inside.
When he is ready, see if he can stand a short distance away from the basket
and throw the balls in the basket. Encourage him for trying even if the balls do
not go in.
Special Needs Tip
Help a child with difficulty standing do this activity while sitting.
A child who cannot sit without support could sit in the laundry
basket and throw the balls out and you can throw them back in!
Shoebox Train
Tie several shoeboxes together by punching a hole in each end and tying short
pieces of string through. Tie a long piece (about 12 inches) through the hole at
the end of the shoebox that will be the “engine.” Wrap masking tape around the
end of the long string to make it easy to hold.
Encourage your child to put toys in the boxes.
Watch her pull the train around the house or take the train outside and help
collect rocks, leaves, twigs, and pine cones to pull in the train.
Use the train at clean-up time to gather toys to put away.
A variation of this activity is to use egg cartons, cut in half, in place of the shoeboxes.
Your child will enjoy putting things in the egg cups!
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Stand in front of a long mirror with your child and play some music. Find children’s
music with a good beat, such as music by Ella Jenkins, Greg and Steve,The
Laurie Berkner Band, or Putamayo Kids.
Demonstrate a few different motions and encourage your child to copy them.
For example, bend from side to side, bend over and look through your legs, clap
your hands, step high to march in place, and wave your arms.
After your child has copied your actions for a while, let him move freely to the
music while you copy him!