Sight word games preschool

10 Clever Games to Help Your Child Learn Sight Words

Big, at, can, does, go, see: these are just a few of what are commonly referred to as sight words. Sight words are those foundational words that appear frequently wherever you see words in print. Children should recognize sight words without sounding out the letters to build reading speed and fluency.

Sight words are unique. Many of them can't be figured out phonetically, and they are often an exception to the rules of letter–sound relationships. The best way to learn these words is through familiarity and memorization. This does not mean, however, that you have to sit with your child and use boring and basic flashcards. The best way children learn is by engaging in playful activities. Active learning will not only help your child retain the sight words, but will also develop skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, innovation, self-regulation, and working memory.

Try these 10 fun active learning games to help your child learn sight words and more!

1. Egg Hunt

Just in time for spring! You'll need paper (cut into strips), markers, and plastic eggs you can open. Write a sight word on each of the paper strips and place one strip in each egg. Hide the eggs all around your backyard or living room. Have a fun egg hunt with your child. Record one point for each egg found and two points if your child can read the sight word. How many points did your child get? Play again and see if she can get more points the next time.

In the Curious World App, you can read over a hundred books such as Goldilocks or Curious George Feeds the Animals. When your child selects the 'Read To Me' option, each word will be highlighted as it is spoken. The more books she reads, the more she will start to recognize common sight words. Click below to try it now!

https://kidsy.curiousworld.com/book/4367?site=cw

You will need a few beanbags, index cards, and a marker. Write a sight word on each card. Spread the word cards on the floor. Shout out words and have your child toss beanbags onto them. Next, have your child shout out the word and see if you can hit them with the beanbags.

Make a grid (adjust the size depending on your child's abilities), and write a sight word in each square. Next, give your child some counters and read one of the words out loud. If your child can find the correct word, she gets to place her counter in the square. When she has completed a row or a column, she has won the game - bingo! For a digital version of this game, check out the Curious World App. Get 20% off your first year when you follow this link (discount applied at checkout).

You will need white paper plates and a marker. Write a sight word on each of the plates. Create a path all around the house using the paper plates. Start at the beginning of the path and have your child read each word as she walks to the end of the path. Your child can pick up the plate each time she reads a word. Repeat the game by creating a new path.

Write 20 sight words on 20 pieces of paper. Use words you want your child to learn. Stick the words on a wall. Get a flashlight and dim the lights. Shine the light on a word. Ask your child to read the word. Switch it up by reading a word and having your child find it with the flashlight. Make the activity even more fun using black paper and a glow-in-the-dark crayon or marker.

Oh no, the aliens are attacking! Move the spaceship and shoot down the correct sight word to stop them before they reach earth. Exclusive to the Curious World App.

You will need heavy white paper such as poster board or cardboard, a white crayon, watercolor paints, and a paintbrush. Using the white crayon, write sight words in a random pattern on the paper. Next, have your child paint on the paper with watercolor paints. As the words are revealed, ask her to name the words she sees.

Children love puzzles! Take a 20 to 100-piece puzzle, depending on the size of puzzle your child can handle, and write a sight word on the back of each piece. Have your child pick up a piece and read the word before putting it in the puzzle. If she struggles with the word, read it to her and put the piece aside for her to come back to and try again.

Start with 10 small balls. Tape a sight word on each ball. Play a simple game of catch, and each time your child catches a ball, she will read the word aloud. Repeat with the other balls and keep the action going.

13 Highly Effective And Fun Sight Word Games To Help Your Kids Learn

What Are Sight Words?

What’s the most common word in the English language? It’s the. Imagine pausing every time you ran across this word in a book, on a poster, or in a magazine. Even the simplest texts would become grueling to read.

Common words in the English language (like the) are often grouped together in the early stages of reading — these are what we mean when we speak about sight words. Sight words aren’t easy to sound out or decode, especially for young readers who are just learning the rules to sound out words, so we memorize them (or, in other words, recognize them by sight).

These words occur so frequently that readers, including very young readers, need to know them instantly. And once your child learns basic sight words, they won’t need to spend a lot of time trying to decipher these high-frequency words.

Sight words are dually helpful in this way: they help your child instantly recognize familiar words and help them bypass trying to sound them out because, phonetically, they often don’t make much sense!

Why, for instance, doesn’t the word was rhyme with has? Why doesn’t have rhyme with gave? The first of each is phonetically irregular, despite the fact that they’re some of the most common words in the English language.

As adults who learned to read many years ago, we don’t think twice about why we pronounce sight words the way we do. We also don’t consider why was and has or have and gave don’t rhyme.

Our reading of these words happens automatically, and that’s what helps us read fluently. But early readers who are learning the rules of the English language need a little help.

That’s where sight word games come in. We’ve compiled a list of fun activities that you can do with your young reader to help them learn sight words. And these activities are great for both you and your child.

For you, a majority of the activities require minimal supplies and prep time, which is great for a busy parent. For your child, the games are lots of fun, so they can learn without even realizing it.

But before we get to these fun activities, let’s be clear on the specific sight words your child will need to be familiar with.

What Words Should You Use For Sight Word Games?

Decades ago, an educator named Edward Dolch developed a list, used widely by teachers, of the words most frequently used in children’s books. He identified 220 “service words” and 95 nouns. The words are broken down by levels: pre-primer, primer, first grade, second grade, and third grade.

Some of the 315 words that comprise the two lists are very easy for kids to learn: a, I, it. Others offer more of a challenge. For instance, the pre-primer list includes you, said, and where.

Here is a list of the 45 sight words we include in our Beginning Reader and Growing Reader pathways:

And, a, the, on, is, to, I, was, you, your, yes, no, do, they, with, that, are, said, girl, boy, were, this, look, like, want, has, of, what, see, go, play, here, very, good, his, her, there, where, have, walk, talk, know, blue, green, little.

Are Sight Words Just High-Frequency Words?

The short answer: not quite. But it’s a little more complicated.

While the terms sight words and high-frequency words are often used interchangeably, there are some key differences.

High-frequency words, as the name suggests, are the most commonly found words in our written language. For example, like, the, it, etc., are all high-frequency words. And some of them follow standard phonetic patterns while others don’t.

On the other hand, though sight words may frequently occur in text, what sets them apart is that they do not fit standard phonetic patterns or the applicable phonetic rules are more advanced. Therefore, they often need to be memorized.

In essence, many high-frequency words can become sight words once a learner reads them instantly without trying to decode them.

One of the best ways to help kids get to this stage of word recognition is to continue exposing them to sight words. This is where games come into play!

13 Fun Sight Word Games To Help Your Child Learn

Parents wear many hats — companion, guidance counselor, teacher, and so on — and all of them are crucial. But one of the most enjoyable parts of being a parent is cutting up with your child and having a little bit of fun.

The good news? Your child can learn and have fun at the same time while playing these games!

We know how invested you are in your child’s future. We want to help you set them up with the best tools for success in the easiest, most enjoyable way possible. So here are some sight word games that will get their brain working and their belly laughing!

1) Sight Word Twister

This is a version of the popular game Twister. If you want to try this game, choose between six or twelve words to work with at a time.

That number will depend on your child’s comfort level with sight words, their attention span, and the amount of time on your hands! Feel free to start small and work your way up with additional rounds.

Write each sight word you chose on a blank index card. Then, clear a space on a wooden or linoleum floor and tape each word so that they are all just a little bit apart from each other (make sure your little one can still reach!). Now the fun begins.

Tell your child to find one of the words — have, for instance — and place an elbow on the word. Then they must put their knee on a second word and their nose on a third. You can go on to a fourth, fifth, or sixth word, or you can stop at three.

Your child isn’t the only one who has to twist and turn. In our experience, children want you to play along with them and be just as silly about the shapes you make with your body!

Plus, giving your child the chance to choose the word you have to touch helps them practice reading their sight words. Being the “game boss” will give them another opportunity to learn!

Your child may have a blast with this game and insist they want to keep going, but it’s best to limit your play to two or three rounds per player. That will help keep them from getting bored with the game (and give their brain a chance to rest!).

2) Pick The Word

If you want to try this game with your child, write your six sight words on index cards — one word per card. On a separate sheet of paper, list the six words twice — one list for you, one for your child.

Next, place the index cards with the words facing down. You can take the first turn. After picking a word from your list, flip four of the cards so the words are showing. If you uncover the word you’re seeking, you can cross that word off your list.

At the end of your turn, flip the cards back over, mix them up, and give your child a turn at flipping four of the cards.

If on your first turn you did not find the word you wanted, you have to hunt for the same word on your next turn. If you found the word you wanted, pick a second word from the list.

The first player to cross off four words wins. To make the game more challenging, you can turn over three cards per turn instead of four, or you can aim to find all six words instead of just four of the words.

3) Word Match Up

On a sheet of paper, write your six sight words three times. Your child’s job is to draw a line that connects each word to the two identical words on the sheet.

After drawing a line that connects the first three words, it’s time to connect the next three matching words.

This game may sound pretty easy, but here’s the hitch: your child cannot cross any line already on the page. The page gets pretty crowded with lines, so this is not an easy accomplishment. They may end up with some kooky, loopy lines — and that’s the goal!

Try it yourself. The more you stumble and struggle, the more your child will enjoy the game!

4) Word Toss

If you’d like to give this game a go, write each sight word on its own Post-it® and then stick the words on the floor. You can also stick them to a wall or a door.

Get a soft toy, like a small stuffed animal, and stand a few feet away from the words. Choose a word and say it aloud. Your child must toss the toy so that it hits the right word.

Your turn next. Your child picks a word for you to hit. The game is more fun if you miss, so don’t worry about having poor aim. You can play to see who reaches a set number of points or who has the most points after five or six rounds.

5) Sight Word Bingo

Selecting from the Dolch lists, you can make custom Bingo cards that use sight words. It makes the perfect, classic sight word game for your child!

We’re sure you know how Bingo works, but just in case, we’ll give you a refresher. Set up one regular bingo board each for you and your child. If more people are playing, you might have teams or make sure you have one card for each player.

Tell your child to pick 24 words. The same words will go on both boards, but in different places on each board. Then write the words on index cards. Turn the cards over and mix them up.

Players will take turns picking cards — reading the words and finding each word on their card. When they find a word, they will cover it with a token or a penny. The first person to get five words in a row wins. Bingo!

6) Sight Word Go Fish

Introducing your child to this game will be easier if they have prior experience with Go Fish. If they don’t, that’s OK, too! It’s easy to learn and a blast to play.

If you’d like to give this game a go, use index cards or cut pieces of paper for playing cards. You can write matching pairs of whichever sight words you want your child to focus on. It’s important that there are at least two cards for each word — the point of Go Fish is to match them!

We recommend starting with 20 cards (ten sets of words) and giving each player five cards in their hand. You can decrease the number for younger children and increase the number (or difficulty) of words as your child gets more comfortable playing.

Tip: For younger kids, you might let your child lay the words on the floor and hide them from you by using a book as a shield rather than them holding the cards in their hand, as that can be challenging.

Your child will read out the word they want to match. If the word is an, for example, and you have the other an card in your hand, then you have to hand it over. If you don’t have the matching card, then you tell them to “Go fish!” from the pile of extra cards.

If your child is a little older and experienced with some sight words already, feel free to sprinkle in words they already know.

The familiarity will help their confidence as they work with their new words. We all like the feeling of knowing how to do something correctly — reinforcing their knowledge positively (like through a game!) will help keep them encouraged to learn more.

7) Sight Word Scavenger Hunt

This option is super versatile — it can be played indoors or outdoors!

We all love a good, old-fashioned scavenger hunt. Instead of hunting pastel eggs filled with candy, though, this game has your child hunting their sight words.

If you want to try this game with your child, write the sight words you want to use on a stack of index cards and number them 1-10. It may also be beneficial to write the words on a separate sheet of paper for your child to reference so they know the selection.

Then make a list of clues for those same words on a separate piece of paper. For example, one clue might be, “I __ a cookie” (have) or, “What word rhymes with buzz?” (was).

Next, simply hide the cards in places familiar to your child. You can use the backyard, a favorite park, or your whole house if it’s an extra rainy or cold day. They’ll use the clues to figure out which words to search for.

Tip: make sure you remember where you put the cards! You’ll need to keep in mind the different locations while you write out your sheet of clues. The numbers on the cards should coincide with the clues. Have fun with some wacky rhymes and hints that will get your child laughing!

The clue list can also be made optional. If you’re working in a small space, your child can always just try to find however many words you hid. If they know to look for 10 cards, then they can just run wild through the room (hopefully not upturning furniture!) searching for them.

8) Sight Word Tower

This is an easy, fun sight word game for your child to try that we guarantee they’ll love — because it involves things crashing and making a mess (but one that’s easy to clean up, we promise!).

While trying this game, you’ll need a stack of paper or plastic cups that you don’t mind writing on with a marker. Near the rim of each cup, write a single sight word you want your child to focus on (that way all the cups are the same).

Then your child simply picks up the cup, reads off the sight word, and tries to create a “tower” or “castle” out of all their sight word cups! Here’s the rub — you can only have three cups on the floor! All others must build on top of those three and cannot be inside each other.

The trick is to make sure the cups don’t fall over — if they do, you have to start again! They win once they stack all the cups (and read all the sight words!).

9) Volleyball

This sight word game is easy and simple as well. All you need is an inflatable beach ball that you can write on with a permanent marker.

For each “sliver” of the beach ball, you’ll simply write down a sight word. Then you and your child will toss the ball back and forth. If you want to simulate a proper volleyball game, then you can do this over a net propped up in a yard.

When you catch the volleyball with your hands, you have to read aloud the two words your thumbs touch. For example, your left thumb may touch the word “blue” while your right thumb touches the word “our.” Once you read the words, toss the ball back to the other player.

You don’t have to write in-between the lines on the ball, either. To make it wilder (and challenging!), you can write words all over the ball. That way the words your child “catches” are even more unpredictable.

10) Sight Word Path

All you need for this fun game is masking tape (or painter’s tape), index cards, and a marker.

First, write one sight word on each index card. Then, arrange your cards face up on the floor to make a “path.” This path doesn’t have to be straight. It can have as many twists and turns as you’d like (i.e., over the chairs, under the table, etc.).

When placing the cards, make sure they are close enough to each other that your child can step from one card to the next. Important tip: Don’t forget to tape them down with your masking tape to prevent slips or falls. Safety first!

Your child will need to stand at the beginning of the “path” you’ve created and read the word on the first card out loud to start the game. Then, when they’ve read it correctly, they step onto that card.

The goal is to read the next word, and the next, and so forth until they reach the end of the path. If you’re playing with multiple children, each child can start once the player before them has gotten to the end of the course.

Once your child is comfortable with this game, encourage them to read and walk more quickly. If they are just starting to learn sight words, you can first introduce them to easy terms and increase the difficulty as they go along.

This activity helps kids read sight words quickly and gain confidence through repetition. They’ll also be burning a lot of energy in the process!

11) Hangman

Hangman is a popular game that can also be great to help children learn sight words. To begin, grab some index cards, a marker, and some sheets of paper.

Write one sight word on each index card. Then, use your marker to draw a Hangman “scaffold” on a sheet of paper. (You can also use a chalkboard and chalk for this activity if those are available. )

Next, place the sheet of paper in front of your child, and put the index cards face down next to it. To play, have your child draw a card from the stack and read it aloud. Give them five to 10 seconds to do so.

If your child mispronounces the word on their card, show them how to add the first body piece to the hangman structure (e.g., the head). That index card will then return to the bottom of the stack for them to try again later.

(Remember to help them pronounce this word before returning it to the stack so that they’ll be better prepared next time.)

If they pronounce the word correctly (yay!), move that card to a “correct” pile. Then, continue playing until all the Hangman body pieces have been added — head, torso, arms, and legs.

Once the game is over, have your child count all the cards from their correct pile and tally this as their score. If you’re playing with more than one person, the one with the most cards is the winner! Note: Each child will need their own sheet of paper with the Hangman structure.

If you’re playing with very young children just starting to learn sight words, you can take two turns to draw each body piece (e.g., for legs, you can draw from the waist to knees, then the knees to the feet). This will give them more chances to get words right before the game ends.

If your child or children are more familiar with sight words, begin the game with the head and torso already drawn, giving them fewer chances to make mistakes.

Also, since any mispronounced words get returned to the stack of cards, your child will be exposed to them again, giving them more opportunities to get the pronunciation correct.

12) Sight Word Discovery

Most kids love discovering interesting items in their homes or backyards. Sight Word Discovery takes this natural love for exploring and mixes it with learning.

You’ll need a few items to get started — index cards, a marker, a large plastic tub, a lot of sand, and craft sticks and rocks (these are optional).

First, write a sight word on each index card. Then, fill the large plastic tub with sand. While filling it up, randomly put the index cards into the tub. You can add some sticks and rocks to the mix as well.

For this game, your child will need to act as a paleontologist who’s on the hunt for sight words (no fossil-finding today!). Every time your child finds a new card, have them read it aloud.

Wow! Look what I found! It’s “the!”

Sometimes parents find it difficult to encourage their children to participate in learning activities or games. But, since children often love playing with sand or dirt, you don’t have to worry about that here!

13) Sight Words On Playdough

Hands-on learning activities are a great way to help children grasp many concepts. That’s because they’re very interactive, allow for creativity, and help to make abstract concepts real.

All you need to get started with this game is playdough, magnetic letters (or letter cutouts from cardboard paper), index cards, and a marker.

The goal is to encourage your child to construct sight words using the magnetic letters. They will then place these letters upright on the playdough.

To play, place a stack of index cards in front of them, face down. Each index card will have a sight word. When your child draws a card, they’ll need to read it aloud and then construct the word on the playdough.

For example, if your child draws the word like, they’ll need to read it, find the word’s letters, and place them upright on the playdough.

To make things a little more interesting, give your child a timer and ask, “How many words can you construct in five minutes?”

This is a great hands-on learning activity to help kids build their own sight words. And playing with multiple children can add some friendly competition.

What About Reading?

Here at HOMER, we’re big advocates of early childhood reading.

Not only do books expose your child to sight words (and high-frequency words), but they also help improve their vocabulary, strengthen their concentration, and expose children to the world around them.

In addition to playing the above sight word games, you can also continue to read regularly to your child to familiarize them with sight words.

Here are a few activity books you can also check out:

• Learn to Read: Sight Words Storybook (For three to five-year-olds)
• Sight Words Word Search Book for Kids (For four to eight-year-olds)
• 100 Sight Words Kindergarten Workbook (For four to six-year-olds)
• Sight Words Activity Book (For five to nine-year-olds)
• Sight Words and Spelling Workbook (For six to eight-year-olds)

Sight Word Games Are Fun And Functional

Games like these are easy to play, require very little equipment, and are highly effective. The more you play these or similar games, the faster your child will learn lots of sight words, which will make them stronger, more confident readers.

We hope you found some interesting options in this list that you’ll try with your child. Remember, sight word games are all about having fun and learning at the same time! Your child will work up their stamina the more they play these sight word games.

And as always, we’re here to offer a helping hand any time you need it. If you find yourself struggling to fit in practice time for your child’s sight words, you can leave them in our hands with the HOMER Learn & Grow app!

Author

Development of visual functions in preschool children with the help of special games and exercises

At the present stage of the life of Russian society, one of the national priorities is the education and health promotion of the younger generation. The personality of the child is recognized as the greatest value. Every child has the right to development, education, upbringing, as well as qualified assistance and support, especially when it comes to children with various disabilities in their development. nine0005

Of the total number of such children, a large percentage are children with already existing visual impairments, as well as those at risk for developing vision problems due to adverse hereditary and / or environmental factors. In this regard, it is necessary to develop and train all visual functions in children, not only to correct or eliminate a visual defect, but also to prevent visual impairment. Such work with children should be carried out at an early and preschool age, from the moment an eye pathology is discovered or from the appearance of possible risks. nine0005

Preschool age is the most favorable period for the correction of various eye diseases, including the development of all visual functions in children. In this regard, it is important to provide all possible assistance and support to such children in a timely manner. This fact necessitates the development of optimal conditions, methods and techniques for their practical implementation as part of the correctional and developmental education of preschoolers with visual impairments in type IV preschool educational institutions.

The problem of research and development of visual functions in children with visual impairment is extremely relevant and occupies a special place in the field of their medical, psychological and pedagogical rehabilitation. nine0005

The problem of the development of visual perception in children with visual impairment is in the focus of attention of domestic ophthalmologists, tiflopsychologists, tiflopedagogues (A.I. Kaplan, M.I. Zemtsova, A.G. Litvak, V.A. Feoktistova). Soviet typhlopedagogues studied the mental mechanisms of the formation of a visual image in children with visual impairment, established the relationship between their level of development of visual perception and visual acuity, the nature of the disease, the degree of mastery of effective methods of perception and methods of purposeful learning. nine0005

Research on perception issues creates a scientific and theoretical foundation for further study of the features of visual perception of preschool children with visual impairment, taking into account their pathology and age. Modern typhlopedagogy pays special attention to the features of visual perception of children with visual impairment (L. I. Plaksina, I. S. Morgulis, E. S. Neznamova). Ophthalmologists are showing interest in this problem, developing methods for the hardware and pedagogical restoration of visual functions in children with visual impairment (E. S. Avetisov, E. I. Kovalevsky, L. A. Grigoryan). nine0005

Knowledge of the features of the development of visual perception will allow ophthalmologists and typhlopedagogues, through specially organized corrective and pedagogical games and exercises, to ensure the process of restoring visual functions and visual perception in children with visual impairment.

It is known that the act of visual perception of objects and phenomena of the surrounding world is carried out as a result of the work of the visual analyzer, which is a complex neuro-receptor system. The structure of the visual analyzer includes the receptor part (retina), pathways (optic nerves, optic tracts), visual centers (subcortical and cortical). In the cerebral cortex, analysis and synthesis of visual sensations and perceptions are carried out, and associative connections of the organ of vision with other analyzers are carried out, as a result of which a person perceives the visual picture of the world. nine0005

In the process of perceiving objects and phenomena of the surrounding reality with the help of vision, we learn about the shape, size, color of objects, their spatial arrangement, the degree of their remoteness and obscuration in bright light and at dusk. We get such rich information with the help of different vision functions. basic (basic) functions of vision include [5, p. 6]:

- visual acuity;

- color perception; nine0005

- field of view;

- the nature of vision;

- oculomotor functions.

A decrease in any of the listed functions inevitably entails violations, both during the process itself and as a result of visual perception [2. p.40].

The resolution of vision, the ability of the eye to perceive two points separately with a minimum distance between them, is called visual acuity. Decreased visual acuity negatively affects the recognition of objects and images, as well as the speed of visual perception. The limitation and fragmentation of the perception of objects, processes and phenomena of reality makes it difficult to form objective and spatial representations, develop figurative thinking, regulate movements, their accuracy, coordination, proportionality.

Visual acuity is a variable value. Under the influence of various adverse factors (illness, fatigue, poor lighting, functional disorders of the visual apparatus, etc.), it can decrease. nine0005

Color perception, or color vision - a function of vision that plays an important role in human life. Thanks to this visual function, he is able to perceive the whole variety of colors in nature and art.

It has been proven that the color-sensing apparatus consists of three types of cones: some are predominantly sensitive to red rays, others to green, and others to blue. Color vision depends on the ratio of the excitation strength of each type of cone. Color has three attributes: hue, brightness (lightness) and saturation. nine0005

This speaks of the great informational properties of color. The color is fixed visually, and remains in the mind of the child for a long time. He has great emotional expressiveness.

Violations of the color discrimination function cause difficulties in perception, the inability to distinguish one of the three colors (red, green, blue) or leads to a mixture of green and red colors.

There is no cure for congenital color vision disorders, but people with color blindness gradually develop the ability to distinguish colors by their degree of brightness. nine0005

The state of peripheral vision is characterized by another function - field of view . This is the space that is perceived by one eye when it is stationary. The field of view of each eye has certain boundaries.

With a normal field of vision, children are able, within certain limits, to survey objects and phenomena in a holistic way, simultaneously, in mutual connections and relationships, to gaze at distant objects. The narrowing of the field of view makes it difficult to see the integrity, simultaneity and dynamism of perception, may be accompanied by the appearance of shadows, spots, complicating the perception of objects and images, as well as orientation in space. nine0005

The field of view should not be confused with the field of view - this is the space that the eye can perceive when it moves in a fixed position of the head [2. p.43].

The human visual analyzer can perceive the surrounding objects both with one eye - monocular vision, and with two eyes - binocular vision. This visual function is usually called the character of vision. Binocular vision provides a stereoscopic, three-dimensional perception of the surrounding world. It allows for three-dimensional perception simultaneously and continuously: when looking at variously located objects and with a constantly changing position of the eyeballs. Stereoscopic vision is the most complex physiological function of the visual analyzer, the highest stage of its evolutionary development, in which all other visual functions are at the peak of their development - visual acuity, visual field and field of view, eye movement and color discrimination. nine0005

Violation of the binocular nature of vision leads to a decrease in the ability to see with two eyes simultaneously and to perceive the object under consideration as a whole in a three-dimensional image, creates conditions for instability of gaze fixation, an increase in its duration, and reduces the quality of tracing eye movements.

The normal operation of the eye requires its mobility and the ability to fine-tune. This is facilitated by eye movement. nine0005

Oculomotor functions adjust the optical system of the eye, provide fixation for tracking the gaze of perceived objects [5, p. 69].

Violation of oculomotor functions leads to various eye diseases, which can be characterized by a deviation of one or two eyes from a common fixation point (strabismus), the presence of involuntary oscillatory movements of the eyeballs (nystagmus).

To ensure normal vision, the coordinated joint work of all human visual functions is necessary. But under the influence of various causes (congenital disorders, diseases, injuries, etc.), there may be violations of both one and several visual functions. nine0005

Children with visual impairments are characterized by underdevelopment of all visual functions. Research by L.P. Solntseva indicates that they need much more time to perceive the material he offers. The slowness of perception is also aggravated by the fact that, due to the underdevelopment of mental processes, they hardly single out the main thing, do not understand the internal connections between parts, characters, etc. Therefore, their visual perception is also less differentiated. Visually impaired children often confuse similar letters, numbers, objects, images. The narrowness of the volume of their perception is also noted. They snatch out separate parts in the observed object, sometimes not seeing the material that is important for a common understanding. This weakness of the review is explained by the peculiarities of the movement of the gaze. What normal children see immediately, visually impaired children see consistently. Children with visual impairments are characterized by difficulties in perceiving space and time, which prevents them from orienting themselves in the environment. Often, even at older preschool age, these children do not distinguish between the right and left hand, cannot find their group, music hall, etc. in the kindergarten. They make mistakes when determining the time on the clock, days of the week, seasons, etc. Much later, they begin to distinguish colors and shades. nine0005

For the development of visual perception, the activation of all visual functions, it is necessary to use all types of children's activities: play, work, directly educational and everyday activities. This will provide children with the formation of practical skills and abilities to use impaired vision to meet various vital needs.

In the process of work, children are forming and developing the "eye-hand" system, recognizing an object by silhouette, contour, comparing it with a standard sample stored in memory. In visually impaired, partially sighted children, visual attention is poorly developed due to a significant decrease in sensitivity to brightness, color, and contrasts. nine0005

To measure the detection of the effectiveness of specially selected corrective and educational games and exercises in order to correct the visual functions of older preschoolers with visual impairment, criteria and indicators for measuring the formation of visual functions have been developed (Table No. 1)

Table 1

Criteria and indicators for measuring the formation of visual functions in children with visual impairments of preschool age

For comprehensive assistance to children with visual impairment, it is necessary to create all the necessary conditions for the development of their visual functions.

The process of forming the quality of concentration, stability and switching of attention, visual search, color discrimination, development of binocular vision and oculomotor functions is realized with the help of various didactic material used in the correctional classes of a typhlopedagogue and a system of specially selected games and exercises for the development of all visual functions. nine0005

Games and exercises for the development of visual attention, search and binocular vision:

1. “What is in the picture is close to you, away, very far. Are these objects the same in size and why?
2. "Make a whole out of parts";
3. "Trace around and color";

4. "Find identical objects by one, two, three signs (color, shape, size)"; nine0246
5. "Look at your finger, and then look out the window (at the farthest corner of the room) for 10 seconds.";

6. "Recognize the object by its contour and silhouette";
7. "Hit the target";

8. "Draw a straight line with a pencil down the center of the road. "

Games and exercises for the development of oculomotor functions and expansion of the field of vision: nine0005

1. "Go through the maze";
2. “Name the objects from right to left, top to bottom, without turning your head”;

3. “Follow with your eyes the movement of the ray of the lantern”;
4. “Find the given object in the picture”;

5. “Draw a circle with your eyes clockwise and counterclockwise”; nine0246
6. "What's next, what's closer (in the picture, indoors and outdoors)" [9, p. 138].

Games for the development of color perception and color discrimination:

1. "Colored mosaic";

2. "Put the colors of the rainbow in order";
3. “What did the artist paint incorrectly in the picture?”;
nine0251
4. “Lay out the color row from the lightest to the darkest”;
5. "Find all objects of the same color in the surrounding space";
6. "Mix colors and get a new one";
7. "Find all the tones of the same color";
8. "Collect a bouquet of cold and warm tones. " nine0246

Visual perception depends on the visual functionality, sensory experience of children and personality traits. In correctional classes, tasks are playful in nature. It is necessary to follow the sequence in the assimilation of sensory standards and the connections between them within each system and then between systems (sample, search for a standard, recognition, naming an object and its properties, correlation, localization, generalization, classification and use in activity). nine0005

All this is included in the performance of simple tasks and with complication, using sight and touch. This is an increase in the number of options (shape, color, size, texture, location of objects) with work on cards. Didactic games and exercises contribute to the acquisition of information about various spatial objects of the environment, about directions and distances; and also develop orientation in microspace and the ability to change the position of objects by 90, 180 degrees. nine0005

As a result of such corrective and developmental work, there is a significant improvement in all visual functions in children with various visual impairments, visual attention and search develop, as well as all cognitive and mental processes of the child.

Literature:

1. Druzhinina L.A. Correctional work in a kindergarten for children with visual impairment: Methodological guide. - M .: Publishing house "Exam", 2006. - 159with.;
2. Ermakov V.P., Yakunin G.A. Fundamentals of typhlopedagogy: Development, training and education of children with visual impairments. - M .: Humanit. ed. Center Vlados, 2000. - 240 p.
3. Zhokhov V.P., Kormakova I.A., Plaksina L.I. Rehabilitation of children suffering from concomitant strabismus and amblyopia: Methodological guide. - M .: All-Russian Society of the Blind, 1989. - 54 p.;
nine0245 Maleva Z. P. Preparation of preschool children with visual impairment for pleopto-orthoptic treatment. — M.: Paradigma, 2009. — 127 p.;
4. Nikulina G.V. We protect and develop vision. St. Petersburg: "Childhood-Press", 2002. - 128 p.;
5. New approaches in corrective work with children with visual impairments. Ed. T. A. Tyukhalkina. - Gorky, 1989. - 88 p.; nine0246
6. Education and correction of the development of preschool children with visual impairment / Methodological guide. - St. Petersburg: "Education", 1995. - 46 p.;
7. Plaksina L. I., Grigoryan L. A. The content of medical and pedagogical care in a preschool institution for children with visual impairment. - M .: City Publishing House, 1998. - 56 p.;
8. Programs of special (correctional) educational institutions of the IV type (for children with visual impairments). Kindergarten programs. Correctional work in kindergarten / Ed. L. I. Plaksina. - M .: Publishing house "Exam", 2003. - 256 p. nine0246

Basic terms (automatically generated) : visual impairment, visual perception, child, function, visual acuity, visual field, binocular vision, play, development, color.

Myopia in children: how to improve vision in myopia

Article content:
1. General information about myopia
2. Classifications of myopia according to severity
3. Causes of myopia in children
4. The impact of myopia on the child's daily life
5. Symptoms: how to recognize myopia?
6. Disease diagnosis
7. Myopia treatment
8. Myopia Optics
9. Apparatus treatment of myopia
10. Medical treatment of childhood myopia
11. Prevention: how to prevent myopia

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Every year the number of children with visual problems is increasing. It is clear that life in the 21st century, dominated by close work and reduced outdoor time, presents a health problem for the young growing eye and is responsible for the current Worldwide Myopia Epidemic. According to the literature in 2000, about 23% of the world's population were myopic. And by 2050, according to experts, this figure will increase significantly and will affect almost 50% of the world's population. Such an alarming trend is connected, first of all, with the growth of myopia in schoolchildren. nine0430 How myopia develops, what doctors prescribe for patients with myopia, we will consider in this article.

Myopia: what is it?

Myopia or, as it is called in the common people, myopia is a disease of the visual system, manifested by an excessive increase in the anteroposterior axis of the eyeball. As a result, the focus of the image is formed in front of the retina, and not directly on it. The result is a deterioration in distance vision. Objects that are close, the patient with myopia sees normally. However, as the distance between it and the object increases, the picture begins to lose clarity and blur. In addition, myopia is not just visual impairment. Each additional diopter in myopia leads to an increased risk of future serious complications such as myopic maculopathy, retinal detachment, cataracts and glaucoma. Therefore, it is very important to diagnose myopia as early as possible and start appropriate therapy. nine0005

When does myopia appear?

Such a refractive error can be:

4. an acquired disorder that appears mainly in early school age, such myopia is sometimes called "school".

Numerous studies have shown that myopia develops most actively during the training period, from 9 to 12 years. However, there is also a risk of developing the disease in older adolescence - 15-16 years. nine0005

Classifications of myopia according to severity

In ophthalmology, there are three degrees of myopia:

1. Weak - violation up to -3 diopters. The child does not feel any discomfort - he does not have headaches, dizziness and absent-mindedness. The only sign of myopia at this stage is that at a distance of 5-10 meters from the object, the child sees it blurry. Usually the first symptoms of the disease appear at the age of 6-8 years.
2. Medium - the degree of violation ranges from -3 to -6 diopters. At this degree, children may have difficulty identifying objects beyond their outstretched hand. Often, children with moderate severity of the disease complain of pain in the eyes and fatigue. As a rule, the disease reaches this degree by the age of 11-13.
3. High - over -6 diopters. High refraction values ​​are characteristic of congenital myopia. With a high degree of myopia, the child is not able to navigate in space without the use of vision correction. He is unable to see objects further than 10 centimeters from his face. A high degree of myopia reaches an average of 14 years, when the load on the eyes becomes maximum. nine0246

Causes of myopia in children

Myopia or myopia can occur in children for several reasons:

1. Genetic predisposition . If both parents are nearsighted, there is a 50% chance that the child will also develop the disease. If only one of the parents has myopia, the child has a 30% chance of developing myopia. But even in the case when both parents have good eyesight, there is still a chance of myopia in a child and it is equal to 25 percent. nine0246
2. Congenital myopia . Most often, premature babies suffer from congenital myopia. This is due to the general weakness and vulnerability of the fragile organism and the increased extensibility of the sclera. As a rule, in this case, myopia manifests itself during the first year of a baby's life.
3. Acquired myopia . Usually detected at the age of 9-12 years.

Congenital myopia

Read our article on congenital myopia. Symptoms, prevention, causes and diagnosis

Acquired myopia occurs due to:

• excessively rapid and intensive growth of the child. A sharp jump in the growth of the whole body, including the eyeball, leads to the development of myopia;
• increased load on the eyes, which led to an overstrain of the visual system. It is this reason that in most cases leads to the development of myopia in schoolchildren;
• multiple increase in eye strain during the learning process;
• improper organization of the child's workplace; nine0246
• lack of lighting in the room;
• long pastime at the computer or with any gadget;
• lack of optimal distance between eyes and notebook/textbook;
• weakness of the body due to illness / unhealthy lifestyle / malnutrition.

Considering that myopia can develop at any age, it is important to examine the child in a timely manner from the first days of life. Don't have to wait until he's 7-9years. Prevention is always easier than cure. Timely prevention and vision correction can preserve the health of the visual system.

The impact of myopia on the daily life of a child

The consequence of the appearance of myopia in children is:

5. difficulties with ball games,
6. eye fatigue during reading, writing and computer work.

In most cases, schoolchildren suffering from myopia fall in academic performance. Often, the disease affects the self-esteem of the child - children have to limit the range of their interests and hobbies, which leads to the isolation of the student and his self-doubt. At the first signs of myopia, you should immediately show the child to a specialist and begin timely treatment of the pathology.

Symptoms: how to recognize myopia?

Myopia can appear at any age. Obviously, it is easier to correct the negative consequences of the disease at first. Therefore, adults need to carefully monitor the behavior of the child and be able to recognize the first symptoms of pathology in a timely manner. Children may not be aware of the presence of vision problems, because they do not understand what the norm is. It is recommended to have a preventive examination by an ophthalmologist at least once a year. If you experience any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention immediately:

1. When looking at distant objects, the child squints.
2. The child often suffers from headaches, which in most cases occur after work associated with eye strain - reading, doing homework, studying at the computer, watching TV or playing on the tablet.
3. While reading, the child brings the book too close to his face, bends low to the notebook, comes closer to the TV to look at the picture.
4. The child complains of pain and burning in the eyes, blinks frequently and constantly rubs the eyes. nine0246
5. Absent-mindedness and constant change of activity. The child constantly switches his attention and cannot do one thing for a long time (most often this symptom occurs in schoolchildren over 8 years old).

Even if a student has only one of the above symptoms, this is a reason to seek help from a specialist. Otherwise, the disease can progress and it will be much more difficult to correct the situation.

Diagnosis of the disease

Diagnosis of visual impairment is possible both in public medical institutions and in private medical centers and opticians. The advantages of private institutions are the availability of more modern diagnostic equipment and the time that a specialist can spend on working with one patient. nine0005

At the first stages of the examination, the doctor collects information from the child and parents. This allows you to find out what exactly worries the patient, how long ago the symptoms of the pathology appeared. An ophthalmologist may need data on the course of pregnancy, how the birth went, what diseases the parents and the child encountered in the past.

Modern methods of diagnostics of the visual system are selected based on the age of the patient. Babies under five years of age are examined only using specialized instruments. Older children are tested on a table with images of various letters, symbols and patterns. nine0005

In addition, diagnostics may include the following procedures :

1. Fundus examination .
2. Eye ultrasound . Performed to assess the length of the anterior-posterior axis of the eye and detect pathologies, if any.
3. Refractometry . At this stage, the doctor assesses the refraction of the eyes (their ability to see at different distances).
4. Skiascopy . The ophthalmologist uses a special skiascopic ruler for diagnosis and thereby determines the type and degree of anomaly. nine0246
5. Biomicroscopy , i.e. examination with a microscope. Allows you to assess the condition of the anterior segment of the eye, thereby eliminating possible contraindications for various methods of further management of the child.
6. Upon completion of the diagnosis, the ophthalmologist will diagnose the child, determine the severity of the disease and select the appropriate treatment.

Preventive diagnostics

Parents should make it a rule to visit a pediatric ophthalmologist regularly. Babies should see a specialist at one and twelve months of age. After that, it is mandatory to undergo an eye test at 3 years (provided that no symptoms of myopia were detected in the period from 1 to 3 years). nine0005

Students should have an eye examination at least once a year. At the age of 8-12 years, this is especially important. Since it is during this period of time that the school program increases the load on the eyesight of children.

Treatment of myopia, restoration of vision, correction

Treatment of myopia refers to the management of patients using techniques aimed at correcting vision and slowing down the progression of myopia. Glasses and contact lenses of various optical designs are prescribed for vision correction. nine0005

Methods to slow the progression of myopia include:

• bifocal/multifocal glasses;
• orthokeratology;
• bifocal/multifocal contact lenses;
• daily dual focus contact lenses;
• eye drops with atropine.

Some of the listed techniques allow to achieve both vision correction and slowing down the progression of myopia. In each case, the doctor chooses a method or a combination of methods for managing a patient in accordance with his data and individual characteristics. In addition, parents receive a number of recommendations for correcting the diet and lifestyle of the child, which will contribute to greater efficiency. nine0005

Optics for the correction of myopia

Spectacles and contact lenses correct myopia and are suitable for children of all ages. Regardless of the degree of myopia, the most important condition is the constant use of the prescribed correction by the child. Such options are not allowed when the child wears glasses for half a day, and takes them off in the evening and is at home without correction. Or, for example, the use of glasses or contact lenses only on weekdays, and on weekends - the absence of correction so that “the eyes rest”. nine0005

On the contrary, for the physiological work of the eye muscles, the correction should be used all the time the child is awake. That is why the doctor, together with the parents, find out the features of the child's daily routine, his hobbies, sports, relationships with peers, etc. And only then is a decision made in favor of glasses or contact lenses.

A significant problem is the child's reluctance to wear glasses. As a rule, this reluctance is associated with fear of ridicule from peers or the inability to engage in outdoor sports and dancing. If the above-mentioned facts are revealed in the process of communication, then there is no need to “pressure” the child and force him to use glasses. In this case, contact lenses become a reasonable recommendation. Unfortunately, there is a common misconception in society that contact lenses are not suitable for children. Of course it isn't. nine0005

Firstly, children can wear the same lenses as adults, because the size of the eyes of a schoolchild does not differ from the size of an adult's eyes. Secondly, a number of studies have demonstrated a high level of safety in the use of contact lenses by children. The risk of complications was lower than in adults. This is due to the fact that children are under the control of their parents and do not violate the wearing regimen and the rules for caring for lenses. And finally, contact lenses allow the child to feel more confident and free. nine0005

There is no risk of breaking or losing lenses, it becomes possible to play sports and outdoor games and still see well, go to school and not be embarrassed by poor vision. In this case, the doctor and parents can be sure that the child will be corrected throughout the day.

Now in a number of countries, including Russia, soft contact lenses for daily replacement have appeared, which allow not only to achieve good quality of vision, but can also slow down the progression of myopia. The effect of these lenses is due to the presence of a complex optical system that gives results regardless of the lighting conditions in which the child is located. nine0005

Thus, to all the benefits of contact lenses, one can add a slowdown in the progression of myopia. The sooner a child diagnosed with myopia begins to use these lenses, the more likely it is that he will not develop to moderate and high myopia.

If a child likes the idea of ​​wearing glasses, then we must not forget that not all glasses are equally effective in slowing down the progression of myopia. The most effective type of lenses for corrective eyewear are bifocal designs. nine0005

What is myopia?

You will find a detailed answer to this question in the article on our website. Causes, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment of myopia and a lot of other useful information

Apparatus treatment of myopia

Apparatus treatment is not an independent type of management of patients with myopia. As a rule, it is prescribed in addition to vision correction and methods to slow the progression of myopia. The main goals of hardware treatment are the normalization of eye muscle tone and the restoration of neurological parameters of the visual system. nine0005

The most popular methods are:

1. Electrical stimulation . Due to the currents of the device, individual parts of the eye are stimulated. This allows you to restore conductivity and restore the working capacity of the optic nerve.
2. Laser treatment . The device activates the receptors located on the retina.
3. Vacuum massage . Increases blood circulation and relaxes the organs of the visual system.
nine0251

Drug treatment of childhood myopia

Today, low concentrations of atropine are considered to be one of the most effective methods for slowing down the progression of myopia. However, it has not been widely adopted. This is primarily due to the limited availability of this drug, and there are also fears that after the atropine is canceled, the so-called “rebound effect” is possible, that is, the rapid progression of myopia during the first year after the end of its use. nine0430 The rest of the drugs are more of an auxiliary nature and only complement the set of measures to correct vision and stop the progression of myopia.

Preparations that improve the functioning of the visual system are:

• specialized vitamin complexes for the eyes;
• preparations with nicotinic acid;
• drugs that contribute to the overall strengthening of the vascular system.

The physician selects the appropriate medication. He also determines the procedure for taking funds and dosage for each drug. nine0005

Surgical solution to the problem

Laser correction can improve the vision of myopic patients. However, it must be understood that this is not a treatment for myopia. If the length of the eye has already increased excessively, then it cannot be changed back. Therefore, the risk of complications associated with myopia remains. In addition, doctors recommend this method after the progression of myopia has stopped. This usually happens after the age of 18.

An exception to the rule may be scleroplasty - strengthening the sclera of the eye. Doctors resort to this operation in cases where myopia is actively progressing and threatens with an irreversible decrease in vision. nine0005

Prevention: how to prevent myopia in a child

Prevention is the best cure. Parents need to monitor the lifestyle of the baby from an early age.

It is important to teach elementary rules that will help to avoid the development of myopia:

1. Finding a child in the fresh air for at least 2 hours a day
2. When reading and working with gadgets, pause every 20 minutes and look at distant objects
3. Watch your posture while studying. nine0246
4. Work with books and notebooks while maintaining a 30 cm distance from the eyes to the subject.
5. Read only in daylight.
6. Do not write or read while lying down.
7. Reduce the amount of time spent in front of the TV, at the computer and with a tablet/smartphone in hand.
8. Regularly do eye exercises in between studying or working with gadgets.
9. In addition, you need to properly equip the child's workplace. The height of the table should correspond to the height of the baby, and the chair should allow you to keep your legs bent at an angle of 90 degrees. The study area should be well lit. It is important that the light falls on the working area on the left if the child is right-handed, or on the right for left-handers.
10. Special attention should be paid to the diet of a preschooler.
11. Proper nutrition.

A child's daily diet should be rich in vitamins, minerals and various trace elements that can maintain visual acuity. It is worth adding citruses, black currants, blueberries and cranberries, spinach, apples, fish, liver and eggs to the menu. These products contain a lot of vitamins A, B and C, lutein, anthocyanin, which increase immunity. nine0005

Don't worry if your child has been diagnosed with nearsightedness. It is possible and necessary to restore vision. See your ophthalmologist regularly, follow his recommendations and be healthy!

Nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice or replace the advice of a healthcare professional. For specific questions, please contact your ophthalmologist.

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