Catch (game)

Catch, or playing catch, is one of the most basic children's games, often played between children or between a parent and child, wherein the participants throw a ball, beanbag, or similar object back and forth to each other. At early stages in a child's life, playing catch is a good way to evaluate and improve the child's physical coordination.^[1] Notably, "[i]f a child cannot catch a ball that he or she is bouncing, it is unlikely the child will be able to play catch".^[2] Most children begin to be able to play catch around the age of four.^[1] As one source explains with respect to children of this age:

Now is the time to begin playing catch with your child, but don't expect her to keep her eye on the ball just yet. Many 4-year-olds tend to close their eyes when the ball is coming toward them. That's why they miss many of the balls you throw. It takes years for most children to learn how to catch and throw well. But practice definitely helps develop dexterity, coordination, and confidence.^[1]

Because playing catch requires at least two participants, and because participants can be substituted at any point during the game, catch can be used to place children in social situations where they will interact with each other. For example, this can be done by first having one child play catch with an adult, and then bringing other children into the game or substituting another child for the adult, at which point the adult can leave entirely.^[3] As children become more adept at the skills used to catch a thrown object and return it to the thrower, these skills are incorporated into more complex games played with larger groups of participants, such as hot potato, dodgeball, and keep away. Playing catch can improve an aptitude for sports that involve catching and throwing, such as baseball, football, and basketball.

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