Ocular motor skills refer to the control and coordination of eye movements, which are crucial for tasks like reading, writing, catching and throwing a ball, and maintaining attention in school and play. In OT, we focus on developing these skills to help children perform everyday activities more effectively. We work on visual tracking (following a moving object smoothly with the eyes), saccades (eye movements between two points), convergence (the ability to bring the eyes together to focus on a near object), and visual stability (keeping focus steady even when the head moves). Activities to improve ocular motor skills might include games that require eye movements, like following objects with their eyes without moving their head, playing with small balls or beads to practice tracking, or using laser pointers and visual targets to encourage smooth, controlled movements. Building these skills can help children engage in learning activities, improve reading accuracy and fluency, and make tasks requiring visual attention easier and more enjoyable. We sometimes refer clients with ocular motor issues to be further evaluated by a developmental optometrist, who will take a closer look at how the eyes are moving together.
Activities to Complete at Home:
- Tracking Objects: Use a flashlight or a small toy and move it slowly in different directions. Encourage the child to follow it with just their eyes, not moving their head.
- Balloon Toss: Toss a balloon back and forth, encouraging the child to keep their eyes on the balloon as it floats and moves.
- Reading with a Pointer: Use a small pointer or their finger to help children track each word across the page as they read.
- Rolling a Ball Along a Line: Draw a wavy or straight line on the floor, then roll a small ball along the line. Have the child track the ball with their eyes.
- Mirror Mazes: Use a maze book and have the child complete mazes while only looking at the mirror image to work on saccades and tracking.
- Laser Pointer Fun: Move a laser pointer across the floor or wall for the child to track with their eyes (be sure to keep it away from eyes!).
- Target Practice with a Ball: Set up a few stationary targets (like cups) and have the child throw a small ball at them, tracking the ball’s path.
- Copying: Have the child copy a step by step drawing to work on shifting their gaze between two targets.
- Swing Watching: While the child is on a swing, have them look at a specific object that’s stationary in the distance as they swing back and forth.
- Bead Threading: Have the child follow the bead with their eyes as they thread it onto a string, focusing on coordination.
- Bubble Pop: Blow bubbles and encourage the child to pop them while tracking the bubbles with their eyes.
- Toss and Catch with Bean Bags: Toss bean bags or small balls at varying speeds and angles to encourage tracking with controlled eye movements.
- Eye Tracking App Games: Explore child-safe apps designed for eye tracking, which allow children to follow animated objects on a screen.
- Maze Books or Dot-to-Dot Activities: These activities help kids work on visual scanning as they find and connect dots or navigate through mazes.
- Flashlight Tag: In a dim room, use a flashlight and encourage the child to follow the light with just their eyes.
- Color by Number: Engage them in coloring activities where they find and follow specific areas based on numbers, which supports visual attention and focus.
- Toy Car Tracking: Slowly roll a toy car along a path or “track” and encourage the child to keep their eyes on the car as it moves.
- Simon Says with Eyes: Try playing “Simon Says” using only eye movements (e.g., “look up, look down”) to help with control and coordination.
- I Spy with Moving Objects: Play “I Spy” with a twist, looking for moving objects outside, like cars or birds, and encouraging the child to follow with their eyes.
- Tracking a Marble: Use a small marble run or DIY ramp to watch a marble go down, following it with just the eyes as it changes speed and direction.