“On the Fast-Track”
Visually focusing on and tracking objects is an important basic skill because it allows your child to notice and attend objects in the world, which is of course crucial for learning. Here are some activities to help your child focus on objects:
- For infants, use black, white, and red colored objects. These have been found to catch their attention more. For older babies, use favorite rattles or toys that hold their interest.
- At first, hold the toy about 18 inches in front of your child, then move it slowly from left to right and right to left. At first, you may need to gently physically prompt your child to follow the object. If your child has difficulty tracking the object, try moving the object slower to help.
- Now, start the object in front of your child at eye level. Slowly move the object up and down, above and below his head. Note if your child can follow the object with eyes and head as it is moving.
- Hold two objects in front of your child. See if the child can look from one object to the other, focusing on each object for a short time.
- After holding an object in front of your child at eye level, let go of the object, letting it fall to the ground. See if your child looks down to find the object.
- Seat your child on the floor and stand off to one side with a small ball. Get your child’s attention, showing the ball. Roll the ball across the room and see if your child can follow the rolling ball.
