Balls and muffin tin activity
Babies love containment play — taking objects out of containers and putting them back in (but mostly taking them out) 🙃 They typically start taking objects out of containers at around 9 to 11 months old. Closer to 11 months, some babies start to put balls back in one at a time.
Introduce this container activity now, and plan to repeat it well into toddlerhood. You can incorporate math by counting the balls out loud one by one, or use multi-colored balls to identify colors. It’s a simple and fun learning activity that also strengthens important hand muscles, improves fine motor skills, and practices hand-eye coordination.
Here’s how to do it:
- Fill a muffin tin with balls (any kind that you have in the house that fit).
- Place the balls and tin on the floor in front of your baby and let them take the balls out.
- Encourage them to put the balls back in but know they might not be able to do this successfully until they are closer to 11 months old.
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