Starfish Therapies

A pediatric therapy company operating in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. We provide physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy services in the most beneficial and convenient setting for you and your child, including our clinic, currently located in Burlingame, your home, school or daycare.

  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • FAQ
  • Our Services
    • Motor Smart Kids
    • Continuing Education
    • FREE Resources
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Corona Virus (Covid-19) Response / Move to Telehealth

Early Ball Skills

August 24, 2020 by Stacy Menz

We often have parents ask when their little one should start throwing a ball. The answer is, we generally we don’t start tracking ball milestones until they are around 12 months old. Before that age it’s all about giving your little one an opportunity to play and engage with balls. You can use ones of various sizes and textures as well as ones that make noise or are visually stimulating.

O-balls are great options for early on, especially when they are lying on their back. They can easily grip it, they generally have a small rattle sound they make when shaken, and they can hang easily from an activity center! Our Infant/Toddler list on Amazon has some of our favorite balls if you want to check them out.

For tummy time, ball play is a great way to encourage weight shifting and/or visual tracking to try to get them to reach. (This will help them eventually roll over!) You may even be able to get them to ‘push’ the ball back to you. It may not be intentional but if you make a big deal out of it they will want to continue to engage! And, as they get more mobile balls are great things for them to chase after to encourage crawling!

Once your little one can sit on the floor independently, or with a little support, you can begin working on turn taking. Not only will this encourage ball play, but it can also work on their balance skills to get them even more independent with sitting. Check out this video for ideas!

And, don’t forget about the bath time. Most balls will float so it’s a great way to have fun in the water!

What are your favorite ways to engage in ball play with your infant?

Related

Filed Under: Blog, Developmental Milestones Tagged With: babies, balance, ball skills, education, games, gross motor development, kids, moms, motivation, Motor Smart Kids, peer play, physical therapy, play, playing, Starfish Therapies, toys

Search

Subscribe To Our Emails

Subscribe and receive access to our FREE products, incredible list of pdfs, websites, readings, and many other useful recommendations!

Primary Programs

  • Motor Smart Kids
    • Free Play
    • Kids Action Hour
    • Yoga for Kids of All Abilities
    • Functional Movement Screen
    • Video Running Analysis
    • Youth Sports Injury Prevention
    • Concussion Screening and Management
  • Continuing Education
    • PNF 1: Introduction to PNF
    • PNF 2: Accessing the Trunk
    • Strength Training in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
  • Resources
    • Telehealth
    • Informational Handouts
    • Useful Websites
    • Recommended Readings
    • Helpful Products
    • Blogs to Follow
    • Favorite Therapy Products at amazon.com

What Clients Are Saying

Our family moved to the bay area 6 years ago, and Starfish Therapies have been a part of our family ever since. Everyone at the clinic is caring and warm. The owner always looks for ways to improve the clinic and the services provided. The therapists are patient, enthusiastic, and know how to motivate the kids to do their best. Even after moving more than an hour away from the clinic, we kept going back to Starfish for intensive therapy sessions every summer! We cannot thank Starfish Therapies enough for helping my daughter to get stronger and to become more independent over the years!”

Recent Blog Posts

  • Occupational Therapy Round-Up
  • Should I Be Concerned?
  • Dr. Seuss Books and Activities
  • More Ideas for Catching
  • Book Inspired Activities

Disclaimers

  • Full Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • HIPAA Patient Notice
  • Accessibility Statement

Search

Patient Resources

  • New Patient Intake Forms
  • Starfish Resources
  • Our Services

Clinical Resources

  • Career Opportunties
  • Continuing Education

Contact

  (650) 638-9142
  (650) 638-9141
  admin@starfishtherapies.com

Join Our Online Community

Locations

  BURLINGAME / MAIN CLINIC
  1541 Old Bayshore Highway
  Burlingame, CA 94010


  SAN FRANCISCO
  (located in KidSpace)
  3401 Mission St.
  San Francisco, CA 94110


  PALO ALTO
  (located in Agile Physical Therapy)
  3825 El Camino Real
  Palo Alto, CA 94306


HALF MOON BAY
  (located at Sensitive Solutions)
  30 Avenue Portola, Suite 200 C & D
  Half Moon Bay, CA 94018

© Copyright 2022 Starfish Therapies · All Rights Reserved · Powered by babaLucas

 

Loading Comments...