It turns out cats love to play Fetch
We have now had two kittens in a row that love nothing more than to play Fetch, and I think I have cracked the formula.
It is easiest to start when they are young -- just a few months old -- and very playful.
Observe their play. See if there is a particular item they enjoy carrying from place to place and chasing after. One of ours enjoys twist ties curled up into a spring shape, the other loves the kind of thick rubber bands that come with supermarket produce.
Take the item from them while they are playing (watch your fingers! those little guys are sharp!) and show it to them. Make sure you have their attention, then toss the toy to a close and very visible location.
Start by always throwing the toy in the same room and direction. It can be hard for kittens to work out the concept of point A to point B at first, but they will get the hang of it soon.
It may take some trial and error, but they should pick up pretty quickly that you are playing with them, and that bringing the item back is the best way to get play to continue.
Once they figure out retrieval and return, you can try experimenting with throws in different directions or parts of the house. Our latest kitten picked this up in a few days, between 4 and 5 months old. Her record is 37 fetches in a row!
Congratulations! You now have a cat that drops trash on your face and cries when you are trying to sleep! But you should get some cute videos out of it.