Hobbies And Interests
Toys and Games
There are many toys on the market that engage children in creative play designed to sharpen hand-eye coordination. No matter your child's interests, be it drawing and painting or building and stacking, there are games available to purchase that will encourage her to develop this skill. Toys that require manipulative play, like grasping, fitting pieces together, and stacking, build coordination. Check with online and specialty toy retailers about their selection.
Wooden blocks are an excellent developmental toy for children. Set aside a pile of blocks and challenge your child to build the biggest tower she can or start a timer and see how many blocks she can stack in 1 minute. These fun games will keep her entertained and help to build hand-eye coordination.
Digging and scooping are also activities that require little hands to hold, grasp and utilize their eyes in tandem. Hide some army men or other toys in a sandbox. Give your child a small shovel and tell her to dig and find as many as she can in a given amount of time.
Dressing and undressing a doll or stuffed animal requires your child to use her hands and eyes constructively to complete a task. Make it a game by challenging her to a relay race in which you take turns adding clothing items.
Sorting Game
Sorting small objects requires a bit of finesse as children must grasp, qualify and sort objects into different piles. Even very young children can participate in this activity, just be sure to use appropriate caution around small objects.
Place some snacks in a bowl and mix them together. Give your child two empty bowls and have them separate the two snacks. He'll have fun sorting and snacking his way to increases coordination.
Use balls, blocks, shells, keys, apples and oranges, other snack foods, or anything you have on hand to play this game. Increase difficulty by adding more items to the sorting pile and/or by setting a time limit.
Ping Pong
Ping pong is a great game for older children to hone and develop hand eye coordination. The small and fast moving ball requires focus and eye tracking, while hitting the ball requires fast thinking and good coordination. Set up a ping pong table and engage your child in regular matches to sharpen her skills. Just about any sport requires hand eye coordination. Throwing, hitting and catching require a child to track a ball with their eyes and make contact. For younger children, simple games of catch with a large ball will foster dexterity. For older children, group or team sports are a great way to encourage hand-eye coordination and teamwork skills.