Spatial Reasoning Games

Building Blocks

• Building blocks offer a simple way to use spatial reasoning skills while having fun. Use building blocks to create a scene from memory or build a model of your own house. Designing and building the house will prompt you to use your visualization skills, while manipulating the blocks calls for you to use reasoning to place them in the correct positions. Building blocks of different shapes and sizes are especially useful because they require you to use reason in order to fit them together.

Video Games

• Most video games require the player to manipulate and visualize objects and environments. For example, Tetris requires players to move and manipulate pieces to fit together before they fall, while those playing Super Mario Brothers have to negotiate obstacles and move within different environments.

Puzzles

• Puzzles test one's spatial reasoning ability because they require object manipulation as well as visualization of the final product. Even very young children can play with puzzles; choose puzzles with just a few large pieces that require the child to match the piece to a board. Older children and adults can engage in advanced puzzles that challenge their abilities to fit pieces together and visualize the picture they are creating.

Mind Tricks and Illusions

• Mind tricks and illusions ask us to recall or visualize images. For example, drawings that have additional images hidden within the main image require us to mentally and visually separate the images from one another. Card tricks require us to memorize and visualize numbers and suits, while hat tricks call for visualization as well as reasoning about why and how the "magic" occurred.