Brain-Body Development for Toddlers: DIY Tennis Ball Exercise

Material needed:
One canister of tennis balls with a lid

Make sure the canister does not have sharp edges (some use pop top type aluminum seals).

Open the plastic lid, pour the tennis balls out onto a carpet (a thick carpet or blanket keeps the balls from rolling away), pick up a ball with both hands, and put it back into the container. Do this until the balls are all in the canister. Put the lid on. Ask your toddler, "Would you like open the canister of tennis balls?" (Note that we always use a few useful nouns and verbs).

Let your child play with the canister in whatever way interests him or her. We demonstrate just to give them an idea.

Other materials you can use include an empty oatmeal cylinder and other types of balls, wool felted balls, and so forth.

For everyone who is worrying about infant and toddler material purchase prices, bear in mind that most of the equipment needed in these years can be made at home! The expensive stuff you see for sale increases in quantity each year because it is a fabulous market, not because your child needs all of it.