Motor skills in which an object is typically manipulated (usually by the hands or the feet) are known as manipulative skills. Throwing, catching, and kicking fall into this category - and, as you can imagine, learning and mastering these skills come in handy in a number of game situations. Following the principle of "fundamentals first," you want to be sure your child acquires the ability to execute these important movements.

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Throwing
Infants love to throw, so you'll want to give them plenty of soft items with which to practice. With an older child, accuracy isn't the first objective in teaching this skill. Rather, a child must initially become familiar with the throwing action itself. You can begin by providing foam or yarn balls and challenging her to practice throwing them at a wall (a target that's hard to miss!). When she's ready for a greater challenge, ask her to throw at a large target, like a hoop hung on the wall. She can also practice throwing beanbags or balls into a large box or a rubber trash barrel. As your child becomes more proficient, decrease the size of the targets.

Ball Rolling
Even babies can roll and receive a large ball. You and your little one should be seated, legs straddled, and facing each other. Roll the ball to him and encourage him to push it back to you. Later, ask him to roll balls of various sizes at a wall. Once he's comfortable with this, try bowling with a large ball and empty soda bottles. Gradually you can decrease the size of the ball.

Volleying
This action involves striking an object in an upward direction with the hands or other body parts (excluding the feet). When working with a young child, start with a lightweight, colorful object like a balloon to ensure success. Invite her first to hit the balloon upward and forward with both hands. The next step is to volley the balloon with just one (the dominant) hand, later trying it with the Nondominant hand. Finally, challenge her to volley the balloon with different body parts. How many can she volley with?

Bouncing
Begin with a large playground ball or a small beach ball, which the child initially bounces and catches with two hands, varying the number of bounces between catches. Once he's comfortable with this, challenge him to bounce continuously with two hands. The final challenge is to bounce with one (the dominant) hand, eventually bouncing with the Nondominant hand as well. (Remember: There will probably be as much chasing as bouncing in the beginning.)

Striking
A good rule for exploring this skill is, at first, the object and the child should be stationary, as when a child strikes a large ball off a cone or tee with a large plastic bat. Next the object moves, but the child remains still (as when the child hits a pitched beach ball with a paddle or large, lightweight bat). The final challenge occurs when the object and the child both move (for example, keeping a ball in the air with a paddle).

Dribbling
In the context of this article, dribbling refers to the manipulation of an object with the feet. A child should first practice dribbling with a beanbag, which is considerably less dynamic than a ball. Later, using a small beach ball or a playground ball eight to twelve inches in diameter, the child can begin controlling the ball with the inside and outside of her feet. Once she's able to do this successfully, provide a pathway (for instance, with two long jump ropes lying parallel on the ground) - and later an obstacle course - for her to dribble through. Encourage her to alternate feet!

About the Author
Rae Pica is a children's physical activity specialist and author of Your Active Child: How to Promote Physical, Emotional, and Cognitive Development through Age-Appropriate Activity (McGraw-Hill, 2003). Rae speaks to parent and education groups throughout North America. You can visit her and read more articles here.

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Recommended Reading: This book is a "must read" for the parents of young children. Having been a part of the coaching staff and the Board of Directors of a traditional youth sport program, I witnessed a lot that put my stomach in knots. I have spent several years since then reading professional journals and academic texts to help me to understand how to provide for a child's intrinsic interest in movement, play and sport without all of the negative outcomes that come with overzealous youth sport programs. I often wished that others would do some of the reading with me, but parents of young children have other demands on their time. Finally a book has appeared that is full of sound science and practical application. And, it is written for parents, not researchers and academics, even though I know this will be a welcome addition to their library as well. (Courtesy Amazon)