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Big Shape and Letter Puzzles – Visual Spatial Task

Visual Spatial Task

This visual spatial task is simple to create and incorporates many developmental skills.  Gather up wooden blocks or any shapes you may have.  I had some foam letters to use but you could use regular puzzle pieces, letter stencils or cookie cutter letters.   Get a large piece of paper or old file folder and lay the blocks and letters down.  Trace each one.  

Now spread out the blocks and letters around the room.  The child has to find the shapes/letters and match them to the big puzzle. Reinforce academic material by asking the child to name the shapes, letter, letter sounds or words that start with that letter.  To add in more gross motor skills, ask the child to complete locomotor skills while finding the blocks and letters.  You could also place the blocks/letters on one side of the room and have the child perform various locomotor skills to put the puzzle piece in the correct location.

This activity encourages:

  1. visual spatial skills
  2. visual discrimination skills
  3. fine motor skills
  4. gross motor skills
  5. geometry skills
  6. letter recognition

 

Here is a video of a similar activity in action but only with blocks.  The motor planning and manipulation skills are amazing to watch as this 3.5-year-old completes the block puzzle.

Read more about:

Block Play and Spatial Awareness.

Preschoolers and the Importance of Block Play.

Colored Block Game

15 Free Visual Spatial Printables

Need more block activities?  Check out Plus-Plus blocks or the downloads below.

"Brick" Activities for School and Home

“Brick” Activities for School and Home – “Brick” Activities for Home and School is a collection of activities to use with LEGO® type building blocks. These two dimensional, vertical patterns are easier to complete that your typical 3D LEGO® patterns. Create numbers, alphabet and seasonal objects. You will only need LEGO® style 2×2 and 2×4 size blocks to use the patterns. Also includes tips for data collection and step by step tutorial on how to make your own brick patterns using Word. Find out more information.

Building Block Patterns and Games – is a collection of activities to use with DUPLO type building blocks.  These patterns are full size, ranging from simple to more complex patterns.  Also included addition cards for math skills, complete the pattern games and block bingo.

simple visual spat