Blindness impacts the development of motor skills in children. Visual impairment causes a fear of the unknown for some children. Children with visual impairments may also experience less motivation to explore their environments.
Fortunately, certain strategies can help parents encourage the development of motor skills for visually impaired children. Check out these suggestions now:
Encourage Practice
Practice makes perfect, especially for motor skills like balance and walking. Encourage your child to walk frequently and on different surfaces, such as:
- Rugs
- Bare floors
- Gravel
- Tile
- Sidewalks
Children should also walk on a mix of even and uneven surfaces.
Work on Balance
Balance plays a large role in the development of motor skills. Encourage the development of balance with several activities such as:
- Playing on a see-saw
- Balancing on an inner tube
- Bouncing on a trampoline
These activities encourage the development of motor skills while making learning fun.
Consider Running
Running provides a great way for young children to get out their energy while focusing on more advanced motor skills. However, many parents with visually impaired children worry about the risks associated with running.
Your child can still benefit from running in some situations. Take steps to make running safe for your child by:
- Running with your child while holding their hand
- Having your child run with a sibling or friend
- Keeping the area free of obstacles
Running gives your child a chance to continue building motor skills.
RevUp Helps Visually Impaired Children with Motor Skills
Want assistance improving your child’s motor skills? RevUp focuses on improving the lives of children by encouraging self-esteem and supporting the development of mental motor skills. Our service helps children dealing with blindness and other challenges.
Call us at 561-358-7730 to learn about building your child’s confidence with RevUp.