Roly Bowl-y!
Age: approx. 6 months to 2 years
Materials: A metal bowl (the shallower the better.. if you don't have a metal bowl a plastic one will do) and a ball
Baby can tip and move the bowl to make the ball roll around
Turn the bowl upside down. With a metal bowl, baby can see their convex reflection.
Sit the ball on the top and watch it roll down, over and over.
Spin the bowl for baby so the ball whizzes round and round very fast
The surface is slippery. It is hard for baby to grasp the ball.
What great fine motor and hand-eye coordination practice!
Try multiple balls. Different colours, different sizes.
Baby is Learning:
- Fine motor skills
- Co-ordination
- Eye tracking (following an object with their eyes)
- Hand and eye coordination
- Cause and effect (ie. tipping the bowl makes the ball move towards the lower side)
- Expectation
- Expectation
- How to move objects
- About things that roll
- About reflecting light
- About rounded surfaces
- About reflecting light
- About rounded surfaces
- How to grasp objects on a slippery surface
- Emotions. Enjoyment & excitement.
- How to grasp small objects
- What to do
- Sensory. Sight, reflection, light, touch, rounded edges, smooth surfaces etc.
Handy Tips:
- Simplify this activity by just showing baby the movement of the ball in the bowl. If they're not sitting, give them some tummy time looking at themselves in the upside down ball. Roll the ball down the side for them. Sit them in your lap and let them tip the ball and try using a ball that your baby can hold in one hand.
- Extend this activity for older babies by encouraging them to make the ball whiz around without it flying out. Talk to baby about the colours of the balls, the reflection of the metal etc.
- Mix it up by
- Praise baby for their efforts
- Repeat this activity as often as you like as babies (and children) need repetition in order to consolidate their learning and understanding
- Talk to your baby about what they are doing. This will help them begin to understand the physical and mental processes they are going through as well as helping develop their vocabulary.
- Give your baby your time. It's the best gift you could ever give them.
Debs :)
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