Visual Motor Integration

So, we’ve probably all been doinked in the head by a ball because we misjudged how fast or the angle in which it was coming towards us…

Aside from the pain factor, this is an example of a time that our visual motor integration skills weren’t having the best day.

Visual motor integration involves our sight, perception and movement skills working together to enable us to coordinate our hand and eye movements in a controlled way.

How do I know if my child is having difficulty with their visual motor integration?

Kids who are experiencing difficulties in visual motor integration may also struggle with the following tasks:

Handwriting and drawing
Copying from the blackboard at school or from a textbook into a workbook
Completing mazes
Playing sports that involve eye-hand coordination (the eyes guiding the hand/s in coordinated movement) such as tennis or cricket
Using cutlery (e.g. a knife and fork)

Fun Activities

(members only content)

Ways you can help your child with their visual motor integration

If you think your youngster would benefit from strengthening their visual motor integration skills, try these enjoyable activities:

Stringing coloured beads with a pattern
Playing balloon games such as ‘Balloon Tennis’*
Lacing cards (punching holes around the outer edges of a chosen picture and threading string or a shoe lace through the holes)
Ball and bat games such as mini-golf or cricket
Playing ‘Flashlight Tag’*
Worksheets such as ‘Dot to Dots’ and mazes
Copying block designs

* To play Balloon Tennis, use your hands to hit the balloon back and forth between you without letting it touch the floor. To play Flashlight Tag, you and your scallywag need a flashlight each. Turn the lights down and move your flashlight on the wall, encouraging little miss or mister to ‘chase’ your light with theirs. For an extra bit of fun, you can take turns being ‘it’ until one of you ‘catches’ the other. Warning: there’s lots of giggling involved in both of these games!

Some additional tips for improving your child’s visual motor integration

You can also try:

Having a desk or play space that’s free of clutter
Using visual cues on the page such as dots (green for ‘go’ and red for ‘stop’) to show where to start and finish on a line
Making letters with playdough (for something a little different to ‘regular’ writing)
Practising zipping and buttoning things

PlayBiz Members Only Content

This content is especially for PlayBiz members. For a modest fee* you can gain exclusive access to even more foundation skill building strategies, including video demonstrations of our ‘teachable moment’ activities. Want an Access All Areas pass to a bigger, brighter future for your little one? Become a PlayBiz member today!

Combined Videos

Combining several foundation skills, our PlayBiz Play-a-Long videos run for 10 minutes or so. We’ve carefully ordered the activities so they enable your youngster to have an optimal learning experience and develop the skills they’ll need for school by joining in the ‘teachable moments’. Picture a fun and educational TV program like PlaySchool crossed with an occupational therapy session that’s chock full of strategies. Ready, steady, learn! Please note: The Play-a-Long videos don’t need to be viewed in any particular order.