The act of visual perception refers to how information is received and processed through the eyes. This skill is important to develop because it affects how children retain information visually, copy text, and coordinate eye-to-hand movement. To develop visual perception in children, consider activities such as creating a picture book, completing connect-the-dot worksheets, or matching objects based on shape, color or size. These activities are appropriate for preschoolers, but may be adjusted to accommodate any age group and skill level.
Focusing on visual arts in the classroom is educational and allows the children to develop an appreciation and understanding of the arts. For instance, spend some time to study an artist and his artistic techniques, such as Vincent van Gogh. Placing prints of the artist's famous works on the wall will pique the students' interests and encourage questions about the artist or his painting. Then, as a class, replicate some of the techniques used in the painting into the students' own artworks.
To develop a preschooler's visual health, tracking, focusing and eye-teaming activities are crucial. Tracking refers to visually following a line of printed text while focusing refers to the child's ability to focus on objects up close or at a distance. Eye-teaming refers to the child's ability to use both eyes together, like a team, as well as independently of each other. These skills may be strengthened through simple activities such as reading a book, playing the "I spy with my little eye" game, or viewing 3-D picture cards.
Visual motor skills refer to the child's ability to practice hand-to-eye coordination. During the preschool years, this type of skill is not fully developed as some children may struggle with writing or drawing simple shapes. To encourage stronger visual motor skills, provide the children with a worksheet that has dotted lines which form a basic shape, such as a circle or square. Using large and colorful markers, help them to follow the dotted lines to complete the shape. This same activity may also be used for alphabet letters or numbers.