Playing ball games indoors or outside can be great exercise for kids. Some of the benefits include aerobic exercise, balance, and coordination practice. (Plus, kids usually gravitate toward any activity that involves a ball.)
Some examples of indoor ball games that don’t require a lot of space include:
- Tossing balls into laundry baskets
- Hitting balls at a target with a household object
- Catching balls with a plastic mixing bowl
- Throwing, rolling, or kicking a ball against the wall
- Other ideas include dribbling, passing, and rolling a ball back and forth between partners.
Parents should always find a safe location for their child to play with a ball inside (i.e., some place with ample distance from breakable items).
When playing inside, it’s ideal to use a soft ball, like a squishy yoga ball, a foam ball, or even bean bags, to keep games safe and injury-free. Properly fitting protective gear is a good idea if you’re using a small or hard ball, or if your child is still working on their coordination.