Throwing objects is a natural part of play and an early lesson in cause and effect. Creating safe ways to practice helps build skills that your baby is naturally excited to explore.

Somewhere between 9 and 12 months, your baby may accidentally throw an object. Your toddler may start to throw a ball underhand while sitting, with their arm down at the side and their palm up, sometime around 13 to 16 months.

Here are some ideas to help support your toddler’s throwing:

Get the ball rolling

Start by rolling a large soft ball to your toddler and see if they can roll it back to you.

Guide their throws

First, model throwing for your toddler and then let them try. Put your hand over theirs and guide them through the motion. Then let them release the ball on their own.

(Source: LOVEVERY)

A few months ago, your toddler might have carried objects from one place to another one-by-one in their hands. Their little bustling movements might not seem to have a purpose to you, but your toddler definitely has a plan 😉 They’re starting to use tools to solve problems, thinking ahead and inventing new methods to reach their goals. Here’s how to support your transporting toddler

Place small items in a container

Give your toddler a group of items and a container and encourage them to put all of the beads into the container. Mastering this skill may also make cleanup more fun 💫

Walk backward

To practice walking backwards, ask them to help you carry the large bucket to another part of the room. Let them walk backwards, holding one edge of the bucket while you slowly push the other.

Model transporting

Show your toddler how to use the bucket to transport or carry things during play.

(Source: LOVEVERY)

Sorting is the beginning of pattern recognition, a foundational math skill. Somewhere between 19 and 24 months, your toddler may start to learn how to sort and match sets of identical objects into three groups—each with three to five objects.

It looks like this: Start with just two sets of two familiar and identical objects and put them all in one pile (four objects total). Start the sorting process by putting one object from each group into its own new pile. Then, encourage your child to add each matching object to its partner. You can sort into piles on the floor or containers like baskets or buckets.

Mix up the objects all over again and see if your toddler can do it on their own this time. When your child is ready, you can increase the number of objects in each group, as well as the number of sets.

(Source: LOVEVERY)

Pretend play is one of the most powerful ways that young children learn. It lets them experiment with activities and roles that they often don’t get a chance to try in “real” life. There are 4 types of pretend play - imitative play is one of the earliest types.

When it might start: 13 to 18 months

If your toddler puts a blanket over a doll or makes babbling noises while flipping a few pages of a board book, they’re engaging in imitative play. This very early pretend play involves repeating and practicing little snippets of what they do or see you do. It reveals your toddler’s growing cognitive and memory skills—they see what you do, then they remember and reenact it later.

Try to engage your child in imitative play.

(Source: LOVEVERY)

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