Have you ever wondered about the fascinating world of visual perception and how it impacts a child’s development? In this blog post, we’ll dive into the world of visual perception, understand its significance in children’s growth and discover the subskills involved that make it possible.
Visual perception, in essence, is our brain’s remarkable ability to make sense of the world through our eyes. It’s the cognitive process that enables us to organise and interpret the visual information that surrounds us, transforming it into meaningful knowledge. When our eyes provide our brain with effective and accurate information, it sets the stage for the generation of thoughts, decision-making, and, ultimately, taking action.
However, it’s essential to recognise that visual perception is not a uniform concept. Rather, it consists of several subskills, each contributing to this intricate process. Let’s take a closer look at them:
- Visual Discrimination – This subskill involves the capacity to differentiate and recognise differences in visual stimuli. It’s what allows us to distinguish between similar objects or patterns.
- Visual Memory – Visual memory refers to our ability to store and recall information in the form of visual images or representations. Think of it as the mental filing system for visual data.
- Form Constancy – This is the ability to perceive objects as the same, regardless of variations in size, colour, and brightness. It’s the reason you can recognise your favourite coffee mug no matter how it’s orientated.
- Figure Ground – Figure ground is the knack for spotting an image or object when it’s concealed within a complex visual environment. It’s the skill that helps you find your keys in a cluttered room.
- Visual Closure – This subskill allows us to identify objects or patterns even when they are incomplete or partially obscured. It’s what lets us recognise a friend’s face in the crowd.
Now you might be wondering “How do I know if my child is experiencing difficulties with their visual perception?”. Here are some common signs that can help you identify challenges.
- Struggling with spatial concepts like ‘under’, ‘over’, ‘up’ and ‘down’.
- Letter reversals, such as mistaking ‘b’ for ‘d’.
- Difficulty remembering sequences, like the alphabet or numbers.
- Trouble completing puzzles or recognising patterns.
- Struggles with organising actions in relation to objects around them.
- Frequently losing their place when reading or writing on a page.
- Dressing mishaps, like mismatched socks.
- Struggling with letter sizing and discrimination.
- Difficulty organising personal belongings.
Understanding the world of visual perception and recognising signs of potential challenges is a crucial step in helping your child’s development. Below is a list of strategies to support and enhance your child’s visual perceptual skills:
- Explore hidden picture books (e.g., Where’s Wally or iSpy).
- Engage in word search puzzles.
- Implement sensory experiences to identify objects through touch (e.g., hide objects in a bag for tactile recognition).
- Practice copying 3-dimensial images.
- Engage in constructive activities such as Duplo, Lego, or magnetic tiles.
- Visual memory games to boost memory recall and concentration.
- Engage in jigsaw puzzles of varying complexity to enhance spatial awareness and problem-solving skills.
- Spot the difference activities to work on identifying differences in two similar images to enhance visual discrimination skills.
- Create visual scavenger hunts with visual clues to promote visual searching.
- Encourage your child complete a partially finished picture.
It’s important to note that the information provided above is intended for general guidance and informational purposes. At Occupational Therapy Helping Children, we strive to offer helpful advice, though understand every child’s circumstance is unique, thus, this blog does not substitute therapy intervention.
If you would like to learn more about visual perception & feel your child may benefit from our therapeutic services, please don’t hesitate to call us on 9913 3823 or email us at hello@occupationaltherapy.com.au.
