You toss the ball gently, right into their hands, and it bounces off their chest again. Your child flinches, closes their eyes or turns away as it comes towards them. At school sports time they tend to stand at the edge, and lately they have started saying they "hate games". Catching looks simple, yet for some children it is one of the hardest things to get right.
Why Catching Is Difficult for Some Children
Catching asks the brain to do several things in a split second. The eyes must track a moving object, the brain has to predict where and when it will arrive, and both arms and hands need to move together at exactly the right time. The body also needs a stable trunk to stay balanced while the arms reach. If visual tracking, timing, two-sided coordination or core stability is still developing, the ball simply arrives before the body is ready.
Fear also plays a part. A child who has been hit by a ball a few times quickly learns to protect their face, which makes catching even less likely.
Signs It May Be a Coordination Difficulty
- Flinches, blinks or turns their head away as the ball approaches.
- Traps the ball against the chest instead of catching with the hands.
- Also finds hopping, skipping or riding a cycle hard.
- Avoids team games or prefers to watch.
- Is noticeably behind younger siblings or classmates in ball games.
What You Can Try at Home
- Start with slower, larger objects like balloons, scarves or a big soft ball.
- Roll the ball along the floor first, then bounce it once, before moving to throwing.
- Stand close and make throws predictable: count "one, two, three" before each throw.
- Play balloon tapping games to build tracking and timing without fear of being hit.
- Keep sessions short and fun, and celebrate every catch, however small.
What Tends to Make It Worse
Throwing hard, fast balls "to toughen them up", laughing when the ball is missed, or always practising in front of older children can make a child tense up and avoid ball games altogether. Fear makes the body stiff and the eyes close, which only makes catching harder. Practising in a quiet space, with one trusted adult, using soft objects and short sessions that end on a success, usually builds confidence far faster than long, pressured practice.
When It Is Worth an Occupational Therapy Assessment
Children gain ball skills at different speeds, and a few months of practice often makes a big difference. It is worth an assessment if your child is clearly behind others their age, gets upset or withdraws from physical play, or also struggles with balance, dressing or handwriting. An occupational therapist looks at coordination, visual tracking and motor planning together to understand what is holding catching back. Our gross motor coordination therapy page explains what the assessment covers and how these skills are built through play.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can children usually catch a ball?
Most children catch a large ball against their chest by around three, and with their hands by four to five. Catching a smaller ball reliably usually comes closer to six or seven. Wide variation is normal, so steady progress matters most.
Is poor catching a sign of dyspraxia?
It can be one piece of the picture, but poor catching alone is not enough to suggest a diagnosis. If it comes with difficulty in many movement tasks, handwriting and daily routines, a proper assessment can check for a coordination disorder.
My child is scared of the ball. What should I do?
Switch to soft, slow objects like balloons or bean bags that cannot hurt. Let your child throw to you first, then roll the ball back. Fear usually fades when success comes easily and there is no pressure.
Can eye problems affect catching?
Yes. If a child cannot track moving objects well or has an uncorrected vision problem, catching becomes much harder. If you have any concerns about eyesight, get a vision check alongside any occupational therapy assessment.
