Fun Ways to Build Visual Skills
In addition to these activities, don’t forget to make it a priority to go outside for fresh air, exercise and at least 15 minutes of midday sun when possible.
Building
Develop eye-hand coordination and visualization/imagination.
- Building Blocks (Ages 1+)
- Mega Bloks (1+)
- Lincoln Logs (3+)
- Tinker Toys (3+)
- Legos/Duplos (4+)
- Build a Fort
Balance and Coordination
Develop gross motor skills, laterality, and bilateral coordination.
- Sit and Spin (1.5+)
- Hoppity Hop (3+)
- Foam Pogo Jumper (3+)
- Hoola Hoop (4+)
- Jump Rope (5+)
- Pogo Stick (5+)
- Twister (6+)
- Balance Beam/Walking Rail (You can use a 2×4!)
- Balance Board Mini trampoline/Trampoline
- Bicycle
Memory Games
Develop visualization and visual memory.
- Memory Game (5+)
- Memory Game Using Playing Cards (5+)
- Draw Number/Letter/Word on Back (5+)
- Simon (8+)
- Chicken Cha-Cha-Cha (5+)
Space Perception
Develop depth perception and eye-hand coordination.
Within arm’s length:
- Pindaloo (8+)
- Don’t Break the Ice (3+)
- Ants in the Pants (3+)
- Egg and Spoon Race (4+)
- Fishin’ Around (4+)
- Jumpin’ Monkeys (5+)
- Flippin’ Frogs (5+)
- Pick-up Sticks (5+)
- Marbles (5+)
- Kerplunk (5+)
- Operation (6+)
- Jenga (8+)
Beyond arm’s length:
- Ball (Any kind!) (All ages!)
- Balloon Tap (All ages!)
- Elefun (3+)
- Frisbee Rings (3+)
- Dart Games (Velcro) (3+)
- Nerf Basketball (4+)
- Frisbee (5+)
- Box & Balls (5+)
- Frisbee (5+)
- Ring Toss (5+)
- Toss Across (Tic-tac-toe) (5+)
- Cornhole Bean Bags (5+)
- Oball (Good for kids who have difficulty catching balls) (6+)
- Ping Pong (6+)
- Badminton (8+)
- Pitchback
Visual Thinking
Develop visual perceptual skills including visual memory, visual discrimination, pattern recognition and sequencing. These skills are important for academics including mathematics, reading, and spelling.
- Colour Blocks and 1” Cubes (1+)
- Wooden form board puzzles (2+)
- Jigsaw puzzles (3+)
- Dominoes (3+)
- Old Maid Card Game (3+)
- Bingo (3+)
- Go Fish Card Game (4+)
- Parquetry Blocks (4+)
- Checkers (5+)
- Perfection (5+)
- Guess Who (6+)
- Mancala (6+)
- Chinese Checkers (6+)
- Dice Games (6+)
- Connect Four (6+)
- UNO (7+)
- Spot It! (7+)
- Battleship (7+)
- Bop It (8+)
- Rubik’s Cube (8+)
Fine Motor Skills
Develop visual-motor integration and fine motor skills.
- Finger Paints (1+)
- Shaving Cream Drawing (1+)
- Kinetic Sand (1+)
- Pegboard and Pegs (3+)
- Colouring Books and Crayons (3+)
- Dot-to-Dot Activity Books (3+)
- Play-Doh/Modelling Clay (3+)
- Chalkboard Easel (3+)
- Large Bead Stringing (3+)
- Lacing Cards (3+)
- Lite-Brite (4+)
- Silly Putty (4+)
- Rainbow Loom (5+)
- Jacks (5+)
- Stencils
- Spirograph
- Origami Sets (8+)
- Paint or Colour By Numbers
- Bead Craft Kits
- Models (Car, Airplane, Ship, etc.)
With thanks to the Vision Therapy Center