Basketball · Age-tier hub1
Guide coming soonEpisode 1
Teaching a 4-Year-Old to Control a Basketball (Fingertips, Not Palms)
Explore the ball with both hands and learn to guide it with the fingertips.
Cue: “fingertips, not palms”About 10 minutes
Basketball · Age-tier hub
Teaching Basketball to 4–6 Year Olds
At ages 4–6, basketball begins with ball feel and fingertip control. Stationary dribbling, stopping, and sending the ball come before formal catching and shooting on a regulation hoop.
Part of: Teaching Basketball to 4–6 Year OldsThe skill how-tos
Start a skill
Work roughly in order. Open a free parent guide when one is live, or go directly to the matching lesson in the series.
2
Guide coming soonEpisode 2
How to Teach a Preschooler to Dribble (Stationary First)
Begin with one controlled bounce at a time before building a continuous stationary dribble.
Cue: “push it down, wait for it”About 10 minutes
3
Guide coming soonEpisode 3
Teaching the Jump Stop to Young Kids
Move forward, land on two feet, and finish balanced with knees bent.
Cue: “stop like a statue”About 10 minutes
4
Guide coming soonEpisode 4
Why Your Young Child Can’t Catch Yet — Teach Passing as a SEND
Focus first on sending the ball accurately to a target instead of expecting reliable catches.
Cue: “send it to the target”About 10 minutes
5
Guide coming soonEpisode 5
Teaching Kids to Shoot: The BLESH Method
Build a simple shooting sequence: Blend, Lift, Extend, Snap, Hold, with power beginning in the legs.
Cue: “power from the legs”About 10 minutes
Start the skill ladder
Watch it, then do it.
Start with the first Sunfield Basketball lesson, then move through one foundation at a time. Ball control and stopping come before catching and shooting.
Good to know
How to use this hub
Pick one skill, use one cue, and stop while the practice still feels like play.
12 minutes
Warm up
Use simple no-ball movement: hops, arm circles, balance poses, and ready-position practice.
25–8 minutes
Practice one skill
Choose one row and repeat its single cue with a junior or soft ball.
32–3 minutes
Finish with a target
Turn the skill into a short mission, such as dribbling to a spot or sending the ball into a laundry basket.
Common parent questions
Do we need a hoop for these skills?
Not for the first four. Ball control, dribbling, jump stops, and sending passes can all be practiced without a hoop. Add a lowered target only when introducing shooting.
What kind of ball should we use?
Use a junior basketball, playground ball, or any soft ball your child can control comfortably. A lighter ball makes early success easier.
What if my child cannot do a skill yet?
That is normal. Make the task smaller: sit instead of stand, use one bounce instead of continuous dribbling, or move closer to the target. Progress comes from successful repetitions.