First Kick
Parent helps child practice kicking a ball while providing support for balance. The agent coaches the parent to observe standing balance, coordinated kicking movements, and early ball interaction — building gross motor coordination and lower body strength.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Open floor space clear of obstacles. Soft, lightweight ball (size of a soccer ball or smaller). Parent should be prepared to hold child's hands for support. Child wearing comfortable clothes and shoes or barefoot.
How it works
- 1~30s
Let's start by helping your child stand up. Hold both of their hands and gently guide them from sitting to standing. Once your child is up, see if they can maintain that standing position with just light support from you. Watch their feet and legs — does your child keep their balance, or does they wobble and need more support? Tell me what you notice about their standing stability.
Watch for: Child transitions from sitting to standing with minimal assistance and maintains standing position with light support.
- 2~40s
Now place the ball in front of your child while you continue holding their hands for support. Gently swing one of their legs forward to make contact with the ball. Watch how your child responds — does they understand the kicking motion? Does they try to initiate the movement {himself_herself}, or does they wait for you to guide their leg? Notice the coordination between their standing leg and kicking leg.
Watch for: Child demonstrates coordinated kicking motion toward ball while maintaining balance with support.
- 3~45s
Let's try a few more kicks together. This time, pay special attention to how your child maintains balance during the movement. After they kicks, does they quickly regain their standing position, or does they need significant help to stay upright? Also notice if your child shows preference for one leg over the other — many children have a dominant kicking foot even this early. What do you observe about their balance recovery and leg preference?
Watch for: Child recovers balance quickly after kicking motion, showing dynamic stability during movement.