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.