Little Goalkeeper

1. 1

   Stand face-to-face with your child and place several toy animals behind them. Keep one soft ball for throwing.

2. 2

   Pretend to be a monster while your child is the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper catches each ball to protect the animals.

3. 3

   Begin close together and toss the ball slowly and gently so your child can become familiar with the catch.

4. 4

   If the ball gets past and touches an animal, use a playful monster voice: “Oops, the ball got through! Can your animals stand up again?”

5. 5

   Your child can set the animals upright and return to the ready position for another throw.

6. 6

   As catching becomes easier, move a little farther away or toss from a different direction. Adjust one challenge at a time to what you observe.

7. 7

   At the end, let the monster collapse dramatically: “What an amazing goalkeeper!”

What to notice

• Catches a ball you toss toward them Gross Motor
• Watches your movement and the ball closely while preparing to catch it Cognitive Self-Regulation (Executive Functioning)

Tips

• Make the first few tosses easy to catch. Early success can make your child eager for another round.
• Before each toss, say, “Ready—I’m throwing!” so your child has time to watch and prepare.

Developmental benefits

• Movement: Watching the ball’s direction and speed and moving the hands and body into its path gives your child practice coordinating a catch.
• Cognitive: Staying focused on your throwing movement and the ball’s flight gives your child practice watching for change and responding at the right moment.