Alphabet Basketball

This gross motor, Alphabet Basketball game was a hit with my two year old!

You need:

• Two baskets or buckets
• 26 ping pong balls
• Permanent marker
• An energetic toddler or preschooler!

Write one letter on each ping pong ball. (I got mine at the Dollar Tree.)

Put all of the letter balls in one of the two buckets and place the empty bucket across the room.

Have your little one pull a letter out of the bucket, and name the letter together.  (We are just starting with letters, so I name the letter and my daughter repeats it.  If your child can already identify the letters pretty well, you can have them name the letter, or even say the sound the letter makes).  Get creative!  You can whisper, sing, shout, speak with a deep voice, say it like a mouse, etc.

Then, give your child an instruction on how to move to the other bucket carrying the ball.  They can walk, run, hop, skip, crawl, scoot, roll – whatever you can think of!

Have them drop the ball in the bucket and say the letter name again, and then hurry back for another ball!

This game has lots of potential for variety, and my daughter enjoyed it even more when we would “race” with me doing the same movements as her. Apparently watching Momma roll across the floor is hilarious!

For a twist, bring the game outdoors and fill the buckets with water before you put the balls in!

Written by Alicia