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Our focus in today’s “Stay Active with SuperTots!” lesson is all about developing hand/eye coordination. Catching balls or other objects is an important object-manipulation skill for all ages. This skill requires the ability to visually track, determine spatial information, and move a limb in order to intercept an object. Training various components of visual tracking, focus, and object location are important in creating a foundation of sensory skills necessary for the hand/eye coordination required for catching.

Click here for a short tutorial on developing hand/eye coordination

The human eye develops a more advanced ability to focus by about age 6, achieving its round shape by about age 9. Prior to this, a primary challenge with hand/eye coordination is a child’s ability to track and focus on a moving object. To train these aspects of hand/eye coordination, it’s important to start with activities that help kids use their vision in different ways.

Start by having kids track large, slow-moving objects like balloons and scarves. As they slowly develop the ability to focus and track these objects, progress to slightly heavier objects like beach balls and playground balls. As their visual acuity and hand/eye coordination improves, progress from light, slightly larger objects to smaller, more dense objects like bean bags. Progress from two-handed catching against their body to catching with one hand away from their body

The following equipment is recommended for today’s lesson:• Bean bag• A balloon the size of a playground ball• Bubbles

© Copyright 2020, Skyhawks Sports Academy Inc. All rights reserved. Staying Active with SuperTots! - 3

Forward/backward

bend

Side bend

RotationSingle leg balance

Squat

Alternating lunge

Push up

Crab hip hold

Plank

Cobra

Jumping Jack

Roll

Crawl

Walk Run

Skip

March

Bound

Gallop

Lateral shuffle

2 leg jump

1 leg hop

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Zoo Moves

Encourage children to move around a defined space as different zoo animals.

Move like the following animals:• Giraffe (5-10 seconds)• Snake (5-10 seconds)• Bird (5-10 seconds)• Fish (5-10 seconds)• Monster (5-10 seconds)• Dinosaur (5-10 seconds)

Movement Variable

Start by having children perform a fundamental movement skill for 5 seconds. After that, add an extra “movement variable” to that movement. Provide just enough instruction for children to understand how to perform the movement and what the added variable looks like.

Here are some suggested movement sentences:• Run (5 seconds), Loud feet (5 seconds), Soft

feet (5 seconds), Run (5 seconds)• Hop (1-leg) 5 seconds each leg), Fast (5

seconds each leg), Slow (5 seconds each leg), Hop (5 seconds)

• Squat (5 seconds), While moving (5 seconds), 1 Leg (5 seconds each leg), Squat (5 seconds)

• Lateral shuffle (5 seconds), Feet close together (5 seconds), Feet far apart (5 seconds), Lateral shuffle (5 seconds)

Body Letters

Prompt children to create shapes, letters, short words, and/or numbers by orienting their body.

Here are some suggested call-outs:

• Letter A• Letter S• Letter W• Number 2• Number 0• Letter L• C-A-T• B-A-L-L

Dynamic Warm Up (5 Minutes)

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As a child’s vision begins to develop, it’s important to guide them in practicing tracking objects with their head and eyes.

Perform 4 sets of 20 seconds each

Equipment: Bean bag, balloon, beach ball (optional). With a marker, write numbers and letters on the objects.

3-5-year-olds are in a stage of development in which the eyeball and related structures are still maturing. In order to develop the ability to focus and track moving objects for catching, begin by challenging different aspects of vision.

Visual Focus/Tracking • Perform 5-10 tosses with each object

Limb Tracking • Perform 5-10 tosses with each object

Vision and Catching • Perform 5-10 tosses and catches with each

object

Skill Development for Hand/Eye Coordination for v

Body Awareness Activity: Partner Tracking Tag

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Slow moving objects like balloons allow young children to develop the timing aspect of contacting/catching an object out of the air. To increase skill development for catching, periodically call out “catch” during this activity and children must catch the balloon with both hands.

*This can be made more challenging by writing numbers/letters on the ball and instructing children to contact the specific numbers/letters when striking the ball with different limbs.

Keep the balloon in the air with the fol-lowing limbs:• 2 hands (10 seconds)• Right hand (10 seconds)• Left hand (10 seconds)• Either elbow (10 seconds)• Either wrist (10 seconds)• Either foot (10 seconds)

Perform this series 3 times.

Hand/Eye Coordination Activity #1: Balloon Volleyball

Bubbles move in random patterns, challenging young children’s coordination of visual and limb tracking in addition to having to move their entire body to the object. When contacting the bubbles, children can learn varying degrees of proprioception either contacting the bubbles to pop them or trying to capture them without popping them.

Blow bubbles and call out the following movement patterns for kids to pop the bubbles:

• Grab with 2 hands (10 seconds)• Grab with 1 hand (10 seconds)• Punch with right hand (10 seconds)• Punch with left hand (10 seconds)• Grab against chest (10 seconds)• Try to land a bubble on each hand

(10 seconds each hand)

Perform this series 3 times.

Hand/Eye Coordination Activity #2: Bubble Boxing

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Perform 3 sets of 5. Count the number of successful catches each round.

Hand/Eye Coordination Activity #3: Bean Bag Catch: Sit to Stand*

If you want to run faster and jump higher every day, drink lots of water when you work or play! Drink a big glass of water when you get done training today.

Today’s Challenge: Water Challenge

*perform with the object most appropriate for your child’s ability