You may think some balls are too rough for indoor play as they lead to broken windows.
But with ping pong balls you don’t have to worry about broken glass or windows. They are perfect for indoor play!
They are also suitable for a large variety of age groups since they have the perfect size to fit a baby's hand.
Advice: Ping pong balls aren’t small enough to be a choking hazard. However, proper supervision from a parent or a carer is advised at all times.
Here are some ping pong play activities you can try with your baby and toddler today.
Remember: the simplest toys make the best toys. They get the children’s brains moving!
Here are some ping pong balls play activity ideas to get the fun started...
- Try playing with ping pong balls while counting. You can count up to 10 or try repetitions like 1-2-3, 1-2-3, depending on your child’s age.
- Use the ping pong balls for sensory exploration. Encourage your baby to hold the balls in their little hands and feel them.
- You can use ping pong balls to establish a connection between children. Try rolling the ball backwards and forwards or from one child to the other. You can even make it more interesting by throwing and catching the ball.
- Make a fun game out of ping pong play by including aiming and something as simple as a paper cup. The children can catch the balls in paper cups. They will have such a fun time!
- Ping pong balls can also become great blowing activities for babies. Practice blowing the ping pong ball with your child. It contributes to the development of strong tongue muscles and mouth control. It also helps develop their speech and pronunciation skills later on.
- Use ping pong balls for imaginative play. Challenge your child to creative thinking by asking, “What else could this be? This could be my eyeball, or it could be the moon up in the sky.”
- You can even use ping pong balls for storytelling. Encourage your child to build on the story you come up with. Be as creative as you can!
Try out some of these creative play activities with your baby or toddler today. Whether at playgroup or at home, these ping pong play activities can be perfect for your child.
Feel free to get creative and come up with some of your own. Have fun!
Activity from Cat Sewell - Playgroup NSW's PlayThinker In Residence