As parents we always want what’s best for our kids and when it
comes to protecting their valuable vision, there’s a lot more we can do besides
giving them more carrots and taking them to see the eye doctor on a regular
basis. As a matter of fact, when it comes to avoiding a
laundry
list of possible vision problems, many parents may not realize that
playtime can be the perfect time to develop our children’s eyesight.
Games like hide-and-seek or “peek-a-boo” certainly make good
use of growing vision, but check out these age-related games, toys and
activities that are good for kids:
Birth to Six Months: Brightly
colored rattles, squeaky toys, crib mobiles and gyms. Play patty cake and
peek-a-boo with them.
Six Months to One Year:
Colorful stuffed animals, floating bath toys, building blocks and other
stackable items. Begin introducing them to books, especially those designed for
the youngest of eyes and tiniest of hands. Roll a ball to them, tap a balloon
through the air and read together with your child while they look on.
Year One: Continue
with toys that require hand-eye coordination like building blocks and step it
up a notch with a rocking chair and riding toys. Begin to teach them to play
catch and encourage them to look at books on their own.
Two Year Olds: Time
to break out the paper, pencils, markers and crayons. More advanced learning
types of toys, puzzles, sorting shapes, sizes and colors. Aiming activities
like ring toss or bean bag targets and take them outdoors to play catch.
Three to Six Years:
Building toys with snap together pieces, more advanced puzzles, finger paint,
chalk, modeling clay and large balls. Books with activities like
connect-the-dots, games, stickers and other projects. Introduce them to
playground equipment, especially those that require balance and grasping.
Consider a tricycle and then starting them out on a bicycle with training
wheels.
Seven Years and Older:
Teach them to ride a bike and other activities like jump rope and roller
skates. Introduce them to different types of sporting spheres, baseballs,
basketballs, soccer balls and (although they’re not round) footballs. More
sophisticated building toys and puzzles. Remote controlled toys, board games
and other thought involved games and activities.
SAFETY FIRST
Remember to always have children use the proper protective
gear, not just helmets when necessary, but also appropriate eyewear when needed.
Eye injuries are the
leading cause of blindness in children and 90%
of sports related injuries could have been avoided with the use of things like
goggles, safety shields, eye guards and other protective gear designed for a
specific sport or activity.
When your child is outdoors, you apply sunscreen, but don’t
forget about sunglasses. Be sure to invest in at least one pair of high-quality
sunglasses that can block out up to 99% of the sun’s harmful UV rays. And
remember, sunglasses aren’t just for summer, they should be worn year round to
protect young eyes.
