Games and Activities to Improve Visual Perceptual Processing Skills

by Jennifer Lonergan

Games and Activities to Improve Visual Perceptual Processing Skills

Karyn O’Brien, Sensational Kids,School-based Occupational Therapist

 

These are a few examples of simple brain-break ideas that can be used throughout the day to develop many skills, while also giving brains a nice break from the curriculum. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and many other games can also help. For example;

Skill development areas:

Visual discrimination, visual figure ground, pattern recognition, spatial awareness, visual memory, fine motor skills, visual tracking, visual motor integration, planning and organisational skills,  eye-hand coordination.

Tricky fingers

  • Can be played solo, in pairs or as relay teams.
  • Pick a pattern from cards
  • With the glass side up, use your fingers underneath to move the coloured balls around to match the pattern.
  • See how fast you can do it. Can you beat your own time? Can you do it faster than your opponent?

 

Extra skill development ideas

Midline crossing- place pieces / stationary on the opposite side of the dominant hand to encourage crossing over the imaginary midline of the body.

Improve directionality, spatial awareness, teamwork, and listening skills by working in teams. For example, player one describes the required piece (eg. colour, size, triangle, square), and how to position it (left side, top, bottom, middle, diagonally, beside, above, under, pointing towards/ away from..etc) and player two places the pieces as directed without looking at player ones card.

Forget-me-not- Visual Memory skills

Put 10 random items into a tray/ box and add

Allow participants 30 seconds to look at the items and try to remember them.

Then try these ideas

  1. Cover the items and give the participants 2 minutes to recall as many as possible
  2. Remove one item and ask them what is missing
  3. Add an item and ask them what is added
  4. Change an item and ask them what is different