Object inquiry skills, Problem-solving
A toddler practices putting a ball in a ball-drop toy and watching the ball fall.
[Invite a toddler to join you to explore the ball-drop toy. Sit next to the toddler with the toy in front of the toddler. Place a container of balls next to the toy.]
Let’s watch our balls go down this special toy!
[Put one ball at a time in the top hole. Pause so the toddler can watch the ball drop. Then put 1–2 more balls in the top hole, one at a time. Put balls in the container when they reach the bottom of the toy.]
Would you like to put a ball in our special toy?
[Encourage the toddler to put 1–3 balls in the top hole, one at a time. Put “dropped” balls in the container. Show excitement about the ball actions.
Point to parts of the toy you describe as suggested below, including the top and bottom of the toy.]
Let’s look closely at how our toy works. We put a little ball in the top hole. The ball falls and goes through another hole. Then the ball falls again and goes through another hole.
Our ball keeps falling and going through holes! The ball starts at the top of our toy and falls to the bottom of our toy.
[Encourage the toddler to practice putting balls in the top of the toy. When the toddler is holding a ball above the top of the toy, say “Ready, set, go!” Explain that “go” means we let go of the ball.
Pause slightly after saying “ready” and “set.” Use a playful approach to help the activity remain lighthearted.
Describe the toddler’s actions using short, full sentences. Repeat and expand on the toddler’s utterances. Example: If a toddler says “fast,” respond with “Your ball is going fast.”
Bring the activity to a close after about 10 minutes of active exploration. Tell the toddler when he/she is nearing the time to stop.]
We played with the ball drop. You made our little balls go down, down through the holes!
Look for ways to support specific skills involved in this activity:
Verbal support and demonstrations are appropriate ways to help a toddler with the above skills. Examples: Demonstrate holding and releasing a ball with your hand. Explain how letting go of the ball in the top hole causes the ball to fall to the bottom of the toy. Practice “ready, set, go” with another toy that can be dropped to the floor or top of a table.
Early awareness of cause and effect can be fostered with simple explanations that emphasize what happens when we do something. Example: “What happens when you let go of the ball?” It is not necessary or appropriate to teach the words “cause” and “effect” to toddlers.
Keep good track of the balls. Typically the balls that come with a ball-drop toy are a special size and other balls will not work.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills, Problem-solving
Toddlers practice together in putting balls in ball-drop toys and watching them fall.
Be Prepared: This activity is for toddlers who are familiar with use of a ball-drop toy through participation in Option 1 or a similar activity. Place four ball-drop toys in an empty sensory table (tub) with space on all sides for balls to roll a bit, and for toddlers to have some space for moving around. The balls will be contained in the tub after they roll down the toy. Typically ball-drop toys require balls of a special size that come with the toy.
[Invite four toddlers to join you to explore the ball-drop toys. Sit at eye level or kneel next to the sensory table. Help a toddler position himself/herself in front of a ball-drop toy. Do not distribute balls until you provide a reminder demonstration, described below.]
[Provide a brief demonstration and description of how the toy works. Use suggestions in the opening segment of Option 1, including pointing to and naming the holes, and top and bottom of the toy.]
[Distribute two balls to each toddler and invite toddlers to play with the toy in front of them.
Give attention to each toddler by describing his/her actions. Example: “Devon, I am ready to watch your blue ball! There it goes, down the hole. It rolls down to the lower hole. It keeps rolling down the toy. There it is! Your ball came out at the bottom!”
A toddler may enjoy getting a playful verbal signal to let go of his/her ball. Use the “Ready, set, go!” prompt introduced in Option 1. Kneel next to a toddler who wants this signal and use a quiet voice so other toddlers are not distracted or think a uniform approach to letting go of a ball is expected.
After about ten minutes of active exploration, announce that the game is almost over. Invite toddlers to help you put the balls into a container.]
We played with the ball-drop toy. You made lots of balls go down, down through the holes!
Watch toddlers’ engagement of your demonstration and description of the toy in the opening segment. Even though this segment is intended as review, you may notice signs of confusion in a toddler’s facial expressions. Kneel next to a toddler who may benefit from coaching on use of the toy.
A peer gathering offers good opportunity to encourage toddlers to notice what another toddler is doing. There may be spontaneous explorations of the toy—such as letting go of two balls at one time—that you want to draw to the attention of toddlers.
The ball-drop toys you use are likely to be the same or similar, but this will not inhibit some toddlers’ interest in trying each toy! Facilitate movement around the sensory table. Encourage toddlers to hold two balls and step to the next ball-drop toy to explore.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials: spinning top, pop-up boxes, water play, pans, boxes, and plastic plates, wooden spoon or child-size mallet, variety of toys in different sizes, large and small dramatic play props
Provide materials that foster the idea of cause and effect, such as a spinning top, pop-up boxes, and water play. Set out a variety of drum-type items, such as pans, boxes, and plastic plates that toddlers can hit with a wooden spoon or a child-size mallet and compare the sounds.
Support exploration of large and small by providing a variety of toys in different sizes in the building area with animal figures and blocks. In the dramatic play area, place props of different sizes. Possibilities include shoes, dishes, dolls, and animals that are both large and small. At playtime, encourage a toddler to compare his/her shoes to your shoes. Some toddlers will enjoy playing with a variety of boxes and experimenting to see which one they can sit in.
Materials Needed: balls, simple tube (such as oatmeal carton), toddler basketball hoop, cart tubes, mailing tubes, toy cars and animals, dry sensory material
Infants will enjoy dropping a ball into a simple tube, such as an oatmeal carton. Toddlers delight in putting a smaller (8”) ball through a toddler-size basketball hoop. Using cardboard craft tubes or sections of mailing tubes will be enjoyable for children interested in block building. Tubes cut along the length make interesting tunnels for toy cars or animals in the building area. Children also enjoy using tubes in a sensory table with dry materials.
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