“Getting Your Kicks”
Have your child stand in one place. You roll a ball directly towards your child. As the ball is near him, state “Kick the ball!” Watch for the step/kick approach (stepping forward with one foot, kicking the ball with the other foot, and the foot following through the swing after the kick). If your child is having difficulty:
- Model the task first and then encourage your child to imitate.
- Slowly “walk” your child through the movements, without the ball rolling towards him.
- Roll the ball slower and closer to your child to give time to coordinate movements.
- Talk your child through each step individually (e.g., “stand, get ready, step with one foot, bring other foot back, swing with other foot forward, kickball with foot”).
- Repeat task several times until your child has mastered each step. Then you can roll the ball faster and from a longer distance.
