B a r b a r a s h e r I l L u s t r a t I o n s b y r a L p h

W
H A T
’
S
B
E I N G
L
E A R N E D
Children are learning to listen carefully and pay attention to differences in
sounds.
Their vocabulary is also increased as you introduce new words to
describe sounds, such as chiming, tinny, hollow, or muffled.
Ping-Pong Balls and Coffee Cans
There is something about Ping-Pong balls that is delightful to a child.
Maybe it’s that they are just the right size and weight for small fingers.
Maybe it’s because they make such a pleasant syncopated tapping sound
when they bounce on the floor. Or maybe it’s that they bounce in unpre-
dictable patterns that are interesting to the eye.
Games for 1- to 3-Year-Olds
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The title of this game, Ping-Pong Balls and Coffee Cans, is all that
probably needs to be said in explanation. The sound of a Ping-Pong ball
falling into an empty coffee can and the challenge of getting one in will keep
your one- to two-year-old delighted, involved, and attentive.
T
Y P E O F
A
T T E N T I O N
E
N C O U R A G E D
Focused
M
A T E R I A L S
Empty coffee can
5 or more Ping-Pong balls
D
I R E C T I O N S
Have your child stand on the floor with a coffee can at his feet. Give him a
small basket or other container of Ping-Pong balls and show him how to
drop them, one by one, into the can.
V
A R I A T I O N S
⽧ As his aim increases in accuracy, raise the challenge by having him
stand on a sturdy stool or chair.
⽧ Place the can at varying distances away and take turns with your child
trying to get the ball in the can.
⽧ Ping-Pong balls will be bouncing all over the place, but that’s a good
thing. You can encourage your child to try out different ways to play
with these delightful little balls, such as by using one ball to hit another.