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Visual skills are perhaps one of the most important areas of the developing brain and for learning. The ability to take in visual information and interpret it for use by the brain starts as soon as your baby’s eyes open. It is a complex system and incorporates many separate skills. The American Optometric Association recommends children receive eye examinations at 6 months of age, 3 years, before the 1st grade and every two years thereafter for children who have not been found to be at risk for visual issues. Visual skills and abilities include eye movements, eye teaming, and focusing . The ability of the eyes to move smoothly, follow a target, move together and locate objects is not only important for your student to move safely and effectively throughout their environment, but also for the development of reading, writing and other academic skills. Visual perception refers to the ability of the brain to register and “make sense” of the images the eyes are sending to it, in order to interact with the surrounding world.
Occupational Therapists often assess and treat specific visual skills related to the learning environment. This can range from activities designed to improve the efficiency of eye tracking, visual motor skills and visual perception, to modifying the classroom environment and learning materials. The visual skills are not a stand alone system, but are interconnected with other sensory systems such as the vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile systems.
When should children be screened for visual needs?
When should children be screened for visual needs?
Activities to Improve Visual Skills:
Activities to Improve Visual Skills:
Eye Movement and Coordination-
- Reading with Your Child- I can not say enough about the interaction of an adult reading with their child. You are your child’s best teacher and know them best! Here are some things you can do while you are reading: Point to pictures - identify colors, shapes, objects, make comparisons ( big/ small, bright/dull, short/tall), explain and show concepts such as under, over, on top of, etc., point where you start to read, point to text as you read. Point to letters, Uppercase versus Lowercase letters, numbers , count objects. Connecting vocabulary to visual concepts is a foundation skill for learning. Have your child identify letters within the print or find specific objects within the pictures to connect with concepts in the story.
- Eye Spy- This is a game where you say when re you pick a secret object in the room and say, “I spy with my little eye”... then give some hints like it is shaped like a square and is green, and the child tries to find and guess the object. This is a great game to do when you are waiting somewhere with your child.
- Flashlight tag- Name several objects in a room before you start. Turn off the lights and have your child “Tag” items with the flashlight as you list them.
- Where’s Waldo? and Eye Spy Books - These books are very engaging and assist in developing coordination of eye movements.
- Hidden Pictures
- “Zoomball” -This is a game that passes a ball between two people on a string. It is very good for the development of eye Conversion ( coordinated movement of the eyes inward and outward from the midline).
Visual Perceptual Skills-
- Matching and Sorting- Have your child match pictures , numbers, letters, shapes, cards.
- Building with blocks and other building toys
- Dot to Dot activities
- Mazes- Ask your child to do the maze with only eyes first, then the back of a pencil or marker, then with a pencil or marker.
- Comparing Size and Shape- Ask your child to compare simple everyday items in their environment and ask what shape they are, and which is larger or smaller, short tall, etc.
- K-nex
- Legos
- Word Searches and Crosswords
- Connect Four
- Sequence Games
- Origami activities
- Parquetry blocks and Tangrams
- Card Games- Old Maid, Go Fish, Memory
- Puzzles- Start with easy puzzles that you know your child will be successful with . When doing a puzzle with your child, always look at the completed picture first and point out specific items and characteristics that the child can refer to when looking for pieces that fit to create the picture. Model how to match patterns on the puzzle piece to the puzzle and picture.
- Tic-Tac-Toe
- Crafts and Art Activities-Challenge your student to create crafts and art activities from a visual model.
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