Ball Play for Babies and Toddlers: What to Expect and What to Offer

How we write: we have not run hands-on product tests. These guides explain what to look for at each stage and why, so you can judge any toy yourself. We never publish invented prices, ratings, or reviews; check the retailer for current details.

A ball might be the simplest toy in the house, and one of the most useful. Rolling, chasing, kicking and (eventually) catching give little bodies a real workout and make easy back-and-forth games with a grown-up. Here is roughly what to expect at each stage, how to pick a ball, and simple games to try.

Why ball play is worth it

• Big-body practice: AAP's HealthyChildren.org lists tossing and kicking balls among the ways toddlers learn how their bodies work, alongside walking, running and climbing.
• Time together: the same page says just 15 minutes a day of quality one-on-one play helps toddlers with physical development and social skills, and helps them learn to manage emotions and stress. Rolling a ball back and forth is an easy way to fill it.
• Lots of movement: Nemours KidsHealth suggests age-appropriate active toys such as balls, push and pull toys and riding toys, and plenty of chances to be active in a safe space.

What to expect by age

These come from the North Carolina Early Learning and Development Progressions (ball skills), AAP's HealthyChildren.org and Nemours KidsHealth. Children vary a lot, so treat them as loose guides, not tests.

• Around 10 to 12 months: throwing objects and rolling a ball toward an adult.
• 12 to 18 months: catching a ball rolled between their legs while sitting, kicking while holding on for support, walking into a ball to try to kick it, and throwing underhand while sitting.
• 18 to 24 months: HealthyChildren.org says children this age may throw and kick a ball. The NC progressions add throwing a ball into a close box, kicking forward with either foot, and catching a large, close ball with arms straight out.
• 2 to 3 years: KidsHealth says that by age 3, toddlers usually can kick a ball forward, throw overhand and catch a ball. The NC progressions note catches with bent arms from about 27 to 30 months and rolling a ball in a bowling game from about 33 to 36 months.

Choosing a ball

• Size matters most for under-3s. U.S. federal rules (16 CFR 1500.18) ban balls intended for children under 3 that can pass through a 1.75-inch (44.4 mm) hole. A CPSC fact sheet says small balls meant for older children must carry a choking-hazard warning, "Not for children under 3 yrs." Skip anything with that label for a baby or toddler, and keep older siblings' small balls out of reach.
• Big, light and soft first. For babies and young toddlers, a large, soft or fabric ball is easier to grab, roll and hug, and gentler when it hits a face or a lamp.
• Easy to grip. Textured or knobbly surfaces and holes in a ball can help small hands hold on; check that no pieces could come off.
• A medium ball later. As catching and kicking improve toward age 3, a slightly smaller, bouncier ball (still well above the small-ball size) gives a new challenge.

Simple games to try

• Sit and roll: sit facing each other with legs apart and roll the ball back and forth. Say "to you, to me" each time.
• Ball in the box: set a laundry basket or cardboard box close by and take turns dropping or tossing balls in. Move it a step back as aim improves.
• Walk-up kick: place a big ball on the floor and let your toddler walk into it or kick it while holding your hand.
• Bowling: for older toddlers, stand up a few empty plastic bottles and roll a ball to knock them down.
• Chase: roll the ball across a clear floor or the grass and chase it together.

Safety and setup

• Play on a clear floor or grass, away from stairs, streets, pools and breakables.
• Stay close. A ball that rolls under furniture or toward a road needs a grown-up to fetch it.
• Keep balloons out of ball play for young children; latex balloons carry their own federal choking warning.
• Check balls now and then for tears, loose stitching or peeling pieces, and retire damaged ones.

Related guides: outdoor play, music and movement and Montessori toys for 1-year-olds.

Safety first: always follow the age grading on the package and supervise play. For children under 3, avoid small parts (see our safety checklist).