Wow Vision Therapy Blog

åÊ This article is brought to EXCELerated Vision as a continuation of the infant vision development activities provided by Dr. Gary Etting of Encino California.

1.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊGive your baby the opportunity to look for his favorite toy in another room.

2.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊGive your baby opportunities to crawl under and over objects. Vary the distance of the spacing and the objects.

3.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊGive your baby objects that he can push or pull. Pushing a ball or a box cannot only be great fun, it helps him to learn to coordinate his body and control objects.

4.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide objects that can be placed in a container, such as beads or buttons in a box. (Because these objects are small and can be swallowed, this activity has to be carefully supervised.)

5.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide opportunities to stack objects such as pillows, blocks, etc.

6.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide opportunities to judge distances. You can use a small stick with a magnet attached to it. Teach your baby how to fish for objects with a magnet.

7.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide fat crayons and paper to scribble on.

8.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide opportunities to play alongside another child his age. A good distance for the other child to be is between 2 to 4 feet.

SUGGESTIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR TOYS AND GAMES

A.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊGeneral Motor and Bilateral Development

1.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊCreep through, around, over and under a family furniture obstacle course.

2.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHold your baby’s hands and encourage jumping off a small step. Jump over a very low object.

3.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊPlay nursery games like Pat-a-Cake and Ten Little Indians.

4.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊPlay games of identifying body parts as you dress your baby.

5.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide your baby with a kiddy-car that he has to drive around obstacles in the family room.

6.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide him with pull and push toys that make sounds.

7.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊAllow him to climb a safe set of stairs.

B.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊVisual Focusing

1.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊIdentify objects in large baby books.

2.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊMake up a two-piece puzzle with a circle and a square cut-out. Identify each space.

3.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide toys of different shapes and design, and label each one verbally.

4.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊSort pictures of different family members. Ask your baby to identify each one verbally.

5.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide a grab-bag of objects to identify by reaching in, guessing what it is, and then pulling it out to see if he’s correct.

C.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ Visual Tracking

1.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide a basketful of different colored clothespins or similar objects to find.

2.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide water toys that float in different directions.

3.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊPlay ball on the floor. Occasionally use balls that have unpredictable movements.

4.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊProvide a toy merry-go-round. Place toy objects on it and watch them go around and fall off.

D.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ Eye-Hand Coordination

1.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊStacking toys

2.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊNesting toys

3.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊBlocks and pegs

4.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊForm boards

5.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊSpurt and squirt toys for the bath

6.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊObjects to fill and pouring toys

7.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHinges

8.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊToy xylophone

9.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊToy telephone

E.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊBinocular Coordination: Two Eye Teaming

1.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHave your baby line up large pegs in a row as if they were soldiers marching toward him or marching away.

2.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊWhen your baby is on a swing, stay in front of him and maintain eye contact.

3.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHave him use a large wooden or plastic hammer with large pegs

4.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHave your baby pour water into a container. As his skill improves, let him use containers with smaller openings.

5.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHave your baby throw a ball or a beanbag into an area on the floor or into a basket.

6.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊTry a balloon catch.

F.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊSize, Shape, Spatial Concepts

1.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊTry having your baby put things in order by size or length.

2.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHave him put different objects in a line and describe their positions: one, two and three.

3.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHave him place objects together that belong together, like all cups or all spoons, plates, cars or dolls.

4.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHide an object and have him find it.

5.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊHave him place objects into their proper containers.

6.åÊ åÊåÊ åÊåÊ åÊScramble a stack of chips and then have your baby pick out only one type of chip. ForåÊ example, have him pick out all the blue ones, although there are red and blue scatteredåÊ together or have him pick out all the chips that look alike (all the circles or squares).