Researchers say that music is linked to the development of spatial thinking in our children. Children who have good spatial skills are often strong in mathematics.

But what does it mean to have "spatial ability"? And how can parents help it to develop?

Spatial ability is the ability to see and think about the positions of objects in space. When you drive a car or walk down the street, you use your awareness of the space around you to help you avoid objects and to find your way.

Reading maps, doing puzzles and understanding diagrams are all activities that involve spatial skill. Many technology-related jobs, such as designing computer hardware or reading medical X-rays, require the ability to understand space.

Your baby begins to use spatial reasoning right from birth, as she begins to experience size and distance of objects. (For example, your baby might notice mom looks smaller when she's farther away.) This ability continues to develop until around age 10. Concepts that your toddler is learning about space, such as near and far, provide a foundation for later development.

Here are some activities to help your toddler's spatial skills grow: 

  1. Tidy up together. When your child helps tidy up, she is learning more than how to please you by keeping things neat. Putting away toys and clothes means learning to remember the places where they go, giving your child a chance to exercise her memory for object locations. 
  2. Play hiding games. You thought it was all fun, but a game of hide-and-seek can help develop spatial memory. After all, there are only so many places around to hide in. Which one will it be this time? You can vary the game by playing "hide the doll" (or other small toy). Searching for hidden objects helps your child's brain learn to process information about spatial locations. 
  3. Shape stick-on. Make a shape collage together by gluing cutouts of common shapes such as circles, triangles or squares onto a paper. While you are making interesting patterns, you have a chance to talk to your child about the names of the shapes. You might even talk about how putting shapes together leads to new shapes. For example, two triangles can fit together to make a square. 
  4. Action songs. Listening to music is fun and it stimulates brain development. But you can also use music to practice learning about spatial concepts. Try out some favorite action songs, such as "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" or "The Hokey Pokey."

 

Andrea L. Mack is a freelance writer in Mississauga, Ontario.