Fun with a Balloon!

**Not for kids with latex allergies**

Playing with a balloon can improve/address the following:
-visual tracking (following an object with your eyes)
-eye hand coordination
-body awareness
-motor planning
-bilateral coordination (using 2 hands together)

Try some of these activities with your child...

1.  For a child who is just learning to bat at a balloon, and requires more control/structure with the activity, tie a string of yarn to the balloon and tape it to a door frame/ceiling, tie it to something on the ceiling.
-Have your child hit the suspended balloon.  It will come back for them to hit again.
-Vary this activity by telling your child which hand to hit the balloon with to work on the concept of left and right.
-Make the string longer so that the balloon is at kicking height.  Practice kicking skills, use the left and right foot, etc.

2.  Have your child try to keep a balloon from hitting the floor.
-Hit the balloon up in the air with one hand, with alternating hands, with both hands together, etc.

3.  Bat a balloon back and forth with your child.
-Vary the activity by having him/her alternate hands when hitting it back and forth with you.
-Call out which hand your child should use to hit it back to you.
-Have him/her hit the balloon with an empty paper towel/wrapping paper roll, bat, a badminton racket, dowel, etc.
-Have him/her bump the balloon back to you with his/her head.
-Have your child try to bat the balloon with a different body part (elbow, knee, foot, etc.)

4.  Have your child catch the balloon when you bat it/toss it to them.
-Encourage your child to catch it with 2 hands.
-Use a smaller balloon to refine catching skills.