Catch-a-balls has been developed out of a desire to ensure that all children have the opportunity to enjoy a healthy active life whether they choose to be a runner, cricketer, hockey or netball player. Catch-a-balls provides the framework to learn a fundamental life skill; ball skills, oh and we have lots of fun doing it!
There is increasing evidence to show that children who learn basic ball skills early go on to be able to enjoy a wide range of sports later on. So what greater inspiration to get your child up and out to make their first catch.
Catch-a-balls coaches ball, racket and movement skills using as many objects as we can such as balls, bean bags, scarves and hoops. Every sport, whether it is athletics, team sports, racket games or individual physical challenges participants need to be agile, well co-ordinated and aware of their body’s abilities and limitations.
Through all our programmes we keep the emphasis on fun and don’t think it is reserved for the children alone, oh no, the adults get to join in too! So everyone has a bit of a work out. This also means that when too! So everyone has a bit of a work out. This also means that when everyone gets home the games and activities can be re-created as everyone was involved.
Once the children progress to our eldest class, Club Catch, the parents get to enjoy a well deserved sit on the side, however, they are not passive by any mean. All young children love being cheered and encouraged by their parents and carers, so supporters are welcomed.
At Catch-a-balls we are very aware of the stages that the children are going through outside of our class. We understand that they will be starting nursery, joining play groups and going up to infant school. So we also incorporate the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum into the programme ensuring that we mirror what is happening in nurseries and schools. This will also help your child find the transition into education that little bit easier as they will have practised the physical development aspect, and little bit of the other sections, already.
Just in case you are unsure what we are talking about, the Physical Development stage is made up of the following aspects:
Movement and Space
- Locomotor skills – moving your body from place to place
- Balance skills – balance and posture whilst moving
- Manipulative skills – hand eye and eye foot co-ordination
- Body awareness – left right, back front and sides
- Spatial awareness – space objectives and language to convey it
- Effort – speed force and flow
- Relationships – objects and people
- Knowing that exercise is important to keep healthy
- Heart beat monitoring
- Verbalize changes in your body
- Recognising the need to rest and drink after excercising
- Understanding warm-ups and warm-downs
- Games with different balls, variety of weights and sizes
Now to find the best class for your youngster:
The youngest class is Club BOING for children of 18 months or walking age to 2½ years
This is followed by Club BOUNCE for children who are 2½ years to 3½ years.
Finally there is Club CATCH for 3½ year olds to school age.
