Hand-eye coordination may not seem like such a big deal but it is one of the most important parts of the learning process. Megan Forsgren, from Integrated Learning Strategies, shared a few activities that will help enhance your child's hand-eye coordination along with some signs to look for that will let you know your child has poor hand-eye coordination.
Signs:
- Turns or tilts his or her head when reading across the page, when watching TV or the teacher while he or she is teaching
- Has trouble following a moving object
- Omits words or numbers and loses their place when reading
- Difficulty with fine motor tasks
- Confuses right and left and has a poor sense of direction
Activities:
- Scarves: This activity is for beginners and smaller children. They are lighter and fall slower, giving your child the chance to catch them. Have your child throw them in the air and track them as they fall. Help them catch the scarves in their hands as they watch them fall.
- Bubbles: You will want to blow the bubbles for your child for this activity. As you are blowing bubbles, have your child track them with their eyes as they fall and pop the bubbles with their hands when they clap them together.
- Ring Toss: Have your child throw one small ring in the air and catch it with the same hand. Help them track the ring as it flies in the air and lands back into their hand. Try this activity with the dominant hand first, then the opposite hand. When they have mastered this activity, have your child try tossing two rings in the air at the same time and catch them with both hands at the same time.
- Ring Throw: You will need a large ring or hula-hoop for this activity and a small ball or foam noodle. Hold the ring close to them at first and instruct them to throw the ball or noodle through the hoop. As they master this activity, move backward so they have to throw the object further to make it through the hoop.
- Noodle Balance: If you have two swimming noodles, have your child first balance one on the palm of their hand. This activity forces your child to watch the noodle so it stays balanced on their hand. Once they master balancing the noodle in one hand, instruct them to try balancing two noodles in both hands at the same time.
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