Ball games – encouraging your baby to play using both hands

Offer your baby a ball to play with when they are sitting on your lap or supported by you on the ground.

Hold the ball in the centre of their body to encourage them to take it with both hands. This is a tricky shape to grip so may require some practice.

Let your baby explore the ball, and if they are interested in it show them how to roll the ball on the floor or a surface. Help your baby catch and grip the ball again, and follow their lead to play.

They might enjoy just holding and looking at it, or prefer to make it move by rolling, dropping it or pushing it away.

You can offer different sized balls to your baby so that they feel new sizes and weights, but ensure they are all big enough to avoid a choking hazard as your baby is likely to bring the ball to their mouth for a taste test.