Wooden Pounding Bench — Hammer the Balls Through

A wooden box with holes in the top, coloured balls that sit in them, and a wooden hammer. Your child hits a ball so it drops through and rolls out the side. It is the classic toy for a toddler with more energy than aim, and it turns banging into something with a target.

How you play

1. Sit the coloured balls into the holes on top of the box.
2. Hand your child the wooden hammer.
3. Aim at one ball and hit it down through its hole.
4. Find where it rolled out at the side.
5. Put the balls back on top and go again.

What it builds

• Hand-eye coordination, aiming a hammer at a specific target
• Controlled force — enough to drive the ball, not so much that it misses
• Colour naming, in the middle of doing something physical
• Cause and effect: hit here, it comes out there

Three ways to play it

• Name the colour before each hit so the aim has to be chosen
• Count the balls as they come out the side
• Let your child put the balls back themselves — that is fine motor work too

The details

• Ages: 1–6 years
• Material: wood