If your child is calling for another round of the basket game, the next thing you throw could come from the sock drawer. Bring a clean pair over with the ball and roll it into a soft bundle.
You already have the target and a game they know. Offer the socks for the next round, leaving the basket where it is. The aim is still to land what you throw inside it.
Offer one small change
You could ask, “Would you like a go with the socks, or the ball again?” Give your child time to choose before handing over the bundle.
Use the throwing spot that already works for your child. Keep the distance, the way you take turns and any familiar counting rule unchanged while you try the socks. If you usually have several throws before swapping over, keep that number too.
Before the first throw, check that the basket is on the floor and there is a clear direction to aim in, away from faces and windows. Keep other children and pets out of that path. Stay within arm’s reach and help your child aim towards the basket. Use only soft objects, including a ball suitable for your child’s age.
If they pick the socks, watch where the bundle lands. If it opens up, pause and roll it again. Pick up scattered socks between rounds to keep the floor clear.
See where the next throw lands
Have a go yourself. The bundle might catch the rim and drop outside, or land inside the basket. Either way, wait for it to stop, collect it together and see what happens on the next throw from the same spot.
Your child may want to talk about where it landed, or reach straight for another go. There is still something for the two of you to find out on each turn, even when you both know the rules.
Keep the ball beside you. They can switch back whenever they want, or watch you try the socks before deciding whether to join in. This is still the game you brought out because they asked for it; the socks are an offer you can put aside.
When either of you is ready to finish, put the ball and socks away. The basket can go back to the laundry until the next time someone asks for a game.