As a parent, it is important to know how your child's vision development is affected as they grow.

Following is a quick activity reference guide to ensure your child's vision develops in a healthy and timely fashion.

BIRTH TO SIX MONTHS
Lots of tummy time
Follow faces up, down, sideways, closer, farther
Crumble paper or make noises to the side and have baby turn toward it
Change position frequently so their view of the world changes
Bed trampoline with support for both hands to encourage balanced bouncing
Lots of sound toys to touch, grasp, listen to and find visually and auditorially

SIX TO TWELVE MONTHS
Lots of creeping and crawling time
Manipulative toys to grasp, roll, pick up, push, pull, bang, throw, squeeze, on/off
Drop it games with toys, spoon and containers to fill and empty
Slowly rolling balls to follow and stop
Use simple words and sentences about clothing, food, toys and baby
Play Hide-and-Seek

TWELVE TO EIGHTEEN MONTHS
Use names for actions and objects, language is developing quickly
Water and sand play with containers, cups, pails, plastic bottles
Crayons and large sheets of paper for creative scribbling
Surprise busy box with things to put together, take apart, fit shapes into spaces
Make believe play, telephone, human and animal dolls

EIGHTEEN MONTHS TO TWO YEARS
Build towers and structures
Toys to put together / take apart, pour, nest, hinges
"Imagine this" while talking about objects, activities, stories
Four-wheeled toys to straddle and move
Conquer the obstacle course of furniture, pillows or junior gym

TWO TO THREE YEARS
Running, tumbling &climbing
Uses crayons, drawing paper, simple single shape puzzles
Make-believe games, dolls, dress-up clothes, stories
Begins to classify objects, colors
Learning to socialize with one playmate at a time

THREE TO FOUR YEARS
Can dodge, throw, stop/go, turn sharp corners
Can play well in small groups
Encourage manipulatives, puzzles, hidden pictures, sames/differences
Encourage drawing, coloring, activities with clay and play-dough
Read lots of books and stories together

FOUR YEARS AND OLDER
Tells stories, makes up names, Talks and talks and ...
Intellectual development moves ahead quickly
Fine motor development continues
Provide lots of opportunities to explore these new abilities.

Read more about your child's vision development