Exploring the five senses with your child promotes both brain connections and kindergarten readiness. Every day will have opportunities to develop the sense of sight. Children learn to use their eyes naturally but we can encourage them to build on what they know. Below are some suggestions:
- Play I Spy, looking for shapes, or colors, or what things are made of. When trying to get a little one ready to head out the door a game sometimes gets their quick cooperation. “Let’s see if we can I Spy your other shoe!”
- Read books, checking out the details in the pictures. Many stories have a special clue on each page, like Goldbug in Richard Scarry’s books, or a ladybug, duck, or little mouse in other stories. There are dozens of I Spy books ranging from simple to really hard.
- Have a supply of crayons, markers, chalk and paints for your child to create his/her own pictures. Washable ones say they will wash out but some colors wash better than others.
- Try to put on socks with eyes closed. Pretty hard to get the heel part in the right place or tell if the socks are right side out.
- There are plastic magnifying glasses for kids that are fun to use to see how things change.
- When walking or going on a bus look for things that are very tall or very short, round things or pointy, lines that are straight or wiggly.
Getting groceries can keep eyes very busy. So can parks and playgrounds. There’s lots of stimulation for eyes and brains. Do you see some other activities to help your child grow kindergarten readiness and brain/eye connections?