Visual Perceptual Skills: Craft stick shape patterns

Visual perception is the process of extracting and organising information, giving meaning to what we see.  It is required to perform everyday tasks, such as reading, copying information from a board or understanding symbols.  Read more about visual perception on the Visual Perceptual Skills homepage.

As children develop visual perceptual skills and visual spatial skills, they develop an awareness of how they relate to the world around the.  They develop body awareness and work out how to relate to objects.  They also become aware of how objects relate to each other.  

This simple shape matching activity is great for toddlers and preschoolers.  It helps kids to become familiar with shapes and understand how to position something in space to match the picture given. This is a really important skill when they learn to draw and write, as they need to "figure out" where lines are in relation to each other to form a picture or letter. 

What you need:

• Coloured paddlepop sticks 
• Printout of Craft stick shapes pattern sheet found at the Your Kids OT shop.  Purchase, print and laminate the sheets.

{Note: Instead of  craft (aka. paddlepop or popsicle) sticks you could use crayons, pencils, pipecleaners, wool, ribbon, strips of paper, playdogh, etc).

Match paddlepop sticks with shape pattern sheet found at the Your Kids OT Shop.

How to use:
Simply match the craft stick {or other item} to the shape pattern sheets.  Your child can match the appropriate colour as well.  You could also make the patterns for your child to copy without the pattern sheet. 

But wait, there's more.... here are suggestions to progress this with your child.  The list below is also useful for therapists who may carry this one activity in their "tool kit" and vary it for various children seen within a day according to their skills.

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1. Ask your child to copy the shape with the paddle pop stick next to the picture rather than on top of the picture. You may ask your child to trace over the shape with their finger first.

2. a) Ask your child to draw on the laminated shape pattern sheets with a dry-erase marker.
b) When your child is familiar with this, ask your child to draw a copy on paper or a whiteboard with the shape pattern sheet as a model.  Try to place the pattern sheet at the same orientation as the position it is being drawn.  (eg. flat on the table for drawing on paper, vertically for a whiteboard easel).
c) Place the shape pattern sheet at a different orientation to the position being drawn (eg. vertically on stand when drawing on paper at a table).
d) Cut out the picture drawn and match it back to the shape pattern sheet.

3. Apply visual memory by showing the child the shape pattern sheet, removing the page and (a) asking them to reproduce the pattern with paddlepop sticks and (b) drawing a copy of the shape.

Copy shape beside picture, draw on shapes and draw beside shapes.

Older children might like the challenge of building a maze with their craft sticks! 

For Telehealth OT, I've been using the pattern sheet via a "share screen" or "share pdf" with the children I'm seeing.  I can select the pattern and then we can build it together using sticks in front of each of us.  I have also used this to encourage drawing from the screen. 
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Watch how you can use craft sticks on the You-tube video below or via this link --->  

If you have an older child having difficulty with letter formation, then it is worth re-visiting shapes and pattern making.  Don't forget to visit theYour Kids OT shop for your copy of these shape pattern sheets.Craft Stick Pattern Copy Templates

Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a member of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
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