Catching the Ball

I learned this group activity at a social thinking workshop sponsored by my school district. It is simple and profound. It requires a group of children arranged in a circle and a medium-sized soft ball that can be thrown and caught easily.

The people in the circle look at the person holding the ball. The person holding the ball makes eye contact with someone in the circle, and says “I see (person’s name) is looking at me!” and tosses the ball to them. When the ball is caught, the communication loop is complete. A social interaction has occurred between the person who threw the ball and the person who caught the ball. Here are some of the skills that are taught: asking for someone’s attention, giving your attention, waiting until you have someone’s attention, turn taking. It teaches how the eyes initiate and power a social connection.

For little ones on the autism spectrum, this activity is a powerful way to experience the give and take of conversation and social reciprocity. Parents, you can do this as a family activity, or with a play group.

Photo: Creatista/Veer