Importance of Eye Hand Coordination

Hand-eye coordination is the ability of the vision system to coordinate the information received through the eyes to control, guide, and direct the hands in the accomplishment of a given task, such as handwriting or catching a ball. Hand-eye coordination uses the eyes to direct attention and the hands to execute a task.

Here are some ways to improve hand eye co-ordination in your children.
1) Teach your children ball skills.
 Purchase a large rubber ball that is easy for little fingers to bounce on a hard surface.
 Have your child and yourself sit a small distance from each other, roll a ball between you.
 Using a plastic container suitable to ball size, throw the ball to your child encouraging them to catch it in the container.
 Purchase a cricket bat suitable for toddlers, these are usually plastic. Using a small plastic ball throw the ball to your child, encouraging them to hit it with the bat.
2) Climbing and playground activities.
 Encourage your child to climb and go down slides.
 Allow them to explore the playground independently.
 Encourage your child to roll, run and tumble.
3) Improving hand eye coordination with toys.
 Kids should be encouraged to use their toys imaginatively.
 Building blocks are great, teaching children to build and stack.
 Beads can be used to sort out in color and shape (over 3 years old)
 Encourage your child to string dry pasta on a string or beads.
 Your child's dolls and matchbox cars also stimulate early learning.
4) Using games and puzzles
 Jigsaw puzzles are great for children to learn hand eye co-ordination.
 Games for matching pairs.
 Memory games with picture cards.
 Eye Spy games, having your child find something within a book.
 You can purchase computer games for your PC too for children, these can be educational and are great for teaching mouse and computer skills.

So to help your child learn pre literacy skills and improve their learning abilities when they begin school, use some of the above activities to stimulate their hand eye coordination.

We all know the most important way to encourage literacy skills in children, is to read aloud for your child on a daily basis. Encourage a love of picture books, puppets and role playing activities. Combined with ball games and puzzle coordination, your child will have a better understanding when learning reading and writing skills.