Visual-Motor Skills

(Eye-Hand Coordination)

~Remember that these skills develop from a gross motor perspective first - getting outside to play a game of catch can be as effective as sitting down at a table with a pencil and a workbook~

1.  There are many commercially-made activities available for helping to develop these skills such as mazes, dot-to-dot puzzles, word-search and crosswords, etc.         

2.  You can make your own games and activities.

    a.  Write letters, numbers or pictures in dots and have your child trace your figure. If you are using letters or numbers, make sure to help your child start at the correct "starter button" to make them the school way. Your school district can provide you with the particular method that they use.

    b.  Make shapes and figures in the sand at the beach with a stick or your toes.                                                                                                              

c.  Design your own simple mazes with yarn, masking tape, or pencil lines. Have the child navigate it with a car, small doll, finger or pencil.

3.  When reading a story with your child, have him follow along with a finger to teach finger isolation and left-to-right progression as well as visual tracking.  

4.  Show your child a picture of a page in a book, or a grocery store circular. Name two items and have her quickly draw a line with her finger to connect them. Practice circling, connecting and categorizing.

5.  Provide materials to practice cutting. Play-doh, different weights of paper, cardboard and fabric are all possibilities.  Make your own lines or use cookie cutters and other tracers for the child to cut. Start with straight lines and when those are mastered move on to more complex figures with curves and corners.       

6.  Provide shapes, letters, etc for your child to copy and imitate -- not just with pencil and paper. Try straws, play-doh, shaving cream, sand, using their whole body, etc.

7.  Get outside! Practice gross motor activities such as catching, batting, frisbee, swimming, tennis or badminton, gymnastics, etc. to help the eyes and body work together.