Let’s Have a BALL!
Unplug their thumbs, train their mind and body and unleash their full potential…
It's no secret that kids today are growing up spending more time than ever before indoors, glued to screens and finger-driven devices. Their finger/eye coordination abilities are off the chart, but what about old-fashioned hand-eye coordination that requires more than a finger and gives them a pause from their fingers?
Here is an activity we can do with our grandchildren that doesn't require a computer-driven device:
Paddleboard
Remember these? A flat panel with a stapled elastic band to its center connected to a quarter-size red ball. The objective is to hit the ball on the paddle and then hit it again when it comes back. Sounds easy-peasy, doesn't it? But do you remember taking this to the next level?
1. Instead of hitting the ball horizontally, can you do it fast vertically, either up in the air or down to the ground?
2. Fast competitions with your friends. How fast can you hit the ball when it returns within 1 minute?
3. Acrobatic competition. Can you hit the ball with the paddle while hitting the ball under your arm or leg? This level allows the child to use their brain to figure out more challenging activities for mastering the paddle board. This is where you ultimately want to be. Your grandchildren have engaged their brains to coordinate hand/eye and learn to develop strategies to do physical activity.
Get these for your grandkids and one for yourself and show them how to use it. Once they have eye/hand coordination and the suggestions of competition, you can leave them with their paddle board in the backyard and let them figure out other ways to use this toy. After they have had time to play with this challenging toy, let them challenge you to a competition of their choice. A win-win. They have developed a hand-eye coordination skill, honed it, and you have challenged their mind to create more difficult paddling exercises to challenge you, their grandparent.
Oh, and guess what, they have forgotten about their cell phone or another computer-based device as they work to master a physical activity with a challenge to 'an old person' to something that the 'old person' grew up doing<g>.
Note to self: Practice before introducing the paddleboard to my grandchildren. YES, this IS a competition. Be prepared to take your grandchildren on. It is not for you to win but to motivate them to get off their devices and use their brains to take up a challenge with their physical activity.
Just remember, if you win, you win. Your grandchild doesn't need a participation trophy. They will respect you more, knowing you can beat them and maybe spur them to hone their skills for a rematch. Total win-win. You accomplished your goal: Get them to do something other than a computer device and encourage their competitive nature to improve their performance in the real world, not the digital one.
Winning is good, but losing teaches. Hand-eye coordination for the win!
