533571055
Children’s Occupational Therapy
FORM CONSTANCY - PERCEPTION
This involves being able to recognise that basic shapes are the same despite changes in
size, orientation, colour and sequence. A child with poorly developed perceptual form
constancy skills may not recognise a known word when seen in an unfamiliar context or
in different type, or handwriting and may be slow learning shapes, letters and word
forms.
Difficulties – children may be unable to organise sizes and forms viewed, their
environment will appear extremely unstable. A similar object may appear completely
different if altered even slightly. This will affect handwriting, 3D drawings and
construction activities. Children with poor form-constancy may frequently reverse letters
and numbers.
Activity ideas
1. Show the child a shape e.g. circle, square or rectangle – ask then to look for an
item or object in the room of a similar shape i.e. Circle – clock, bowl. Reinforce
language needed for naming, sorting and classifying.
2. Give the child an object or shape. Place identical objects or shapes at various
distances from the child. Ask the child to identify the objects that are the same
as the ones he/she holds.
3. Sorting games – sort objects according the shape
4. Copying and making shapes with straws
5. Circle given letters/given words/ words ending with …./beginning with ……in a
magazines advertisement or text.
6. Write shapes/letters/words in different styles, colours prints or cut out of
magazines. Ask the child to identify a chosen shape/letter/word on the page.
7. Mark shapes out on the floor using masking tape/.chalk. Move round shapes by
walking or hopping for example.
8. Make a feely bag. Ask the child to identity toys/objects/shapes by describing
them using touch not vision e.g. long, sharp, hard.
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9. Feel shape/ letter form/objects and match with duplicate objects placed in front of
child.
10. Identifying shapes/letters drawn on child’s back using a finger.
11. Picture/shape dominoes.
12. I spy, using the shapes of objects instead of the letter e.g. I spy something
circular shaped, triangular, square?
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Present pictures of the same person taken from different angles and see if they
recognise the person. These can be pictures from magazines or family
photographs. You can do the same with pictures or photos of every day objects.
Drawing objects from different angles (same object)
Ask children to cut out, letters, numbers, cars etc. from magazines and leaflets
and collect them in a box. When enough material has been collected ask children
to make collage of one category e.g. of different numbers or of cars.
Use of stencils
Draw round hand, Draw around foot, fill in observable detail
Draw own face looking into a mirror
Life sized drawings
Magnetic poetry shapes edition. Series of magnetic geometric shapes which can
be used to create a variety of forms and patterns. Available from the happy
puzzle company.
Touch blue suggest a colour, space or concept and ask child the find in the
classroom and touch it. i.e. touch yellow, touch square, touch small.
Make shapes in 2 and 3D using play dough, salt, balsa wood.
Undertake form constancy pre-writing activities, 1 A-C and 2A in the ‘write from
start’ handwriting programme LDA ltd.
Dot to dot activities
Shape stencils pictures
Draw a shape or letter on child’s back, can they guess letter
Write letter or number in the air – guess shape
Write letter or number shape in the air-guess the letter or number.
Elastic band pin board. These can be made or bought as link a boards from
taskmaster ltd.
‘Rol n write’ alphabet by rolling a ball bearing along a moulded plastic letter
shape, kinaesthetic awareness of the letter form is reinforced.
Strategies
Provide a template of letter and number shapes so that child can compare these with
their attempts at writing letters. Provide templates so child can produce the appropriate
shapes when attempting free drawings and designs.
Use physical objects to explain shapes, sizes and colours, rather than expecting child to
visualise these.
www.happypuzzle.co.uk,
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www.LDAlearning.com, www.UsborneOnline.com