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A toddler sitting at a low table and dropping one small object into a cut tennis ball while a small bowl of feed pieces sits beside it.
Fine motorAutism supportSqueeze And ReleaseIndoor

Tennis Ball Feed.

A simple squeeze-and-drop game where your child feeds small objects into a tennis-ball mouth one at a time.

Play time
5-10+ min
Age
1-3 years
Energy
Low
Mess
Low
Effort
Medium
Where
Indoor
Start here

The recipe.

Medium parent effort
3 things

What you need

  • 1 cut tennis ball with a mouth opening
  • A few small feed objects that fit through the opening
  • 1 small bowl, tray, or clear spot to hold the feed objects before play
5 min minimum

Setup

Then start the loop
Step 01
Put the tennis ball on a low table or the floor in front of your child with the opening facing up.
Step 02
Place a few feed objects in a small bowl or pile beside the ball.
Step 03
Test one object so you know it fits through the opening without forcing it.
"Ball is hungry."
The loop

How play unfolds.

Four panels showing the tennis ball and feed pieces set out, a grown-up opening the ball once, a child dropping one object into the mouth, and the child repeating the feed loop.
  1. 01
    Show your child how to feed one object into the ball and say, "Feed the ball."
  2. 02
    Let your child feed the ball one object at a time.
  3. 03
    Help with the squeeze step if the opening is hard to manage or an object misses.
  4. 04
    When the pile is gone, dump the objects out and play again if your child wants another round.

Safety Check

  • Stay with your child the whole time.
  • Use feed objects that are safe for close adult-supervised toddler play.
  • Check that the cut opening is smooth enough to use before you start.
  • Stop if your child starts mouthing or throwing the loose objects.
Supporting the play

What to say in the moment

Match what you say to what you see.

Prompt ladder
Level 1 (Start)
"Feed the ball."
Level 2 (Keep going)
"One more."
Level 3 (Stretch)
"Open, then drop."
Level 4 (Extend)
"Let's feed them all."
If your child seems...
What you'd see
Focused
What to do
Say
"You got it in."
Add
Pause before the next object so your child can reach first.
Extend
Let your child try the squeeze before you help.

Make it easier

Younger end
  • -Hold the tennis-ball mouth open for each turn.
  • -Use only a few feed objects in one short round.
  • -Keep the object pile touching the side of the ball.

Make it harder

Older end
  • +Wait to see if your child will squeeze before you help.
  • +Ask your child to pick up the next object without pointing.
  • +Let your child hold the ball steady with one hand and feed with the other.

If it's not working

If you see
If child ignores it
Feed the first object into the ball yourself, shake the ball lightly so your child notices the result, and offer the next object right away.
If you see
If child misuses it
Say, "Food goes in," put out one object at a time, and keep the extra objects out of reach.
If you see
If child gets frustrated
Do the squeeze for the next turn, hold the mouth open, and let your child do just the drop-in step.
Skill spotlight
Squeeze Control

Squeezing and releasing by hand to open and close the ball

This helps your child practice hand pressure, release timing, and repeating one simple container job from start to finish.

  • •Early. Your child may hold the object near the opening and wait for you to do the squeeze.
  • •Later. Your child feeds the ball one object at a time and keeps the whole routine moving with only light support.
  • •Middle. Your child starts helping with the squeeze and gets more objects into the ball with fewer misses.
Real-world transfer
  • Using hand pressure on simple toys and tools.
  • Putting objects into a container one at a time.
  • Repeating a short start-to-finish job without losing the sequence.
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