Ready to give the kids another brain boosting printable? Let’s build those reading skills with a fun visual tracking exercise.
I used to brag about being the only one in my family with perfect eyesight. Now that I’m, ehem, older, I’ve lost my bragging rights. Words are fuzzy. Then they’re not. Then they are. No fun.
When we don’t see well we don’t read well. I love reading, so off to the ophthalmologist I go.
Poor vision in children is easy to detect. Simple vision screenings usually do the trick.
But what happens when children’s basic visual skills don’t develop properly? Trouble with visual acuity, or sharpness of vision, can be corrected with glasses. Glasses won’t do a thing for visual skills. Visual skills such as vision perception, eye teaming, and visual tracking are just as important for developing ease and fluency of reading as good vision.
This free printable targets the critical reading skill of visual tracking. In order to read well, and without strain, children must be able to follow a line of print without losing their place.
With so many fabulous educational apps and computer games out there, complete with flashing attention grabbers and moving targets, visual tracking skills may be competing against the eyes’ learned habits of darting and scanning.
Challenges with visual tracking are not as obvious to spot as vision problems and often go unnoticed. Even without tracking challenges, students benefit from developing and strengthening their visual tracking skills. With practice, this critical reading skill can develop into a natural habit that makes reading easy and fun.
Features of Track the Smiley Faces:
• I’ve included a color version as a simple visual tracking activity that even young, non readers can enjoy. Too young to control a pencil or crayon? Have them track with one finger as they seek, find and circle all the smiley faces from left to right.
• An extra black and white version makes this a fun challenge for all ages.
• For older children looking for added interest or motivation, use the additional crack-the-code page. It can only be completed once the visual tracking exercise is done.
Access:
If you’re a subscriber simply click the Fun Printable Activity Pages link in your newsletter. Enter your password and download your free visual tracking printable.
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