Throwing, catching, kicking and batting are essential physical skills with social pluses, says Lala Manners.

Children love playing with balls, and their urge to engage with a round, moving object within a group is visceral and generic to all children around the world.

Maybe the appeal of ball play lies in the combination of intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships: intrapersonal in that they feel a sense of achievement and joy acquiring new skills; interpersonal in that they are afforded the opportunity to engage with others.

It is easy to forget that despite the increasingly hi-tech, solitary nature of some children's experiences, what makes them happy is often simple, accessible physical activities that require minimal equipment and the time and space to acquire, rehearse and refine skills in a group setting.

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