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Chapter 4: Finding out what your child can see

At what distance does my child see best?

Most children, who can see a little, see objects best that are about an arm's length away. But some children see an object best when it is very close to their face. Others see best when an object is much farther away. Watch your child carefully to see how far she likes to hold objects from her face. This is probably the distance at which she sees best.

This child sees objects best when they are about an arm's length away...

...but this child sees objects best when they are close up.

In what direction does my child see best?

Although most children see objects that are directly in front of them most clearly, they can also see objects that are off to either side, or above or below their eyes. Sometimes, however, a child cannot see very far to the side. Or she may not be able to see certain areas at all, like the area directly in front of her, on either side, or below her chin or above her eyes. To find out what direction your child sees best, watch her closely to see where she likes to hold objects or the way she tilts her head to look at an object.

This child can only see objects that are off to the side. To see an object, she must move her head to the side and look back at the object.

What size objects does my child see best?

Most children who can see a little see large objects best. But some children can see only a small area in front of them. These children will recognize small objects more easily than large ones. Watch your child to see the sizes of objects she likes to play with.

This child likes to play with small things because she sees them best.

This child sees large objects best.

Does my child know how far away objects are?

Some children have difficulty judging how far away an object is. So when they reach for the object, they may reach too far. Or they may not reach far enough, because they think the object is closer than it really is. To find out if your child can judge distance, watch to see if she reaches correctly for toys or other objects.

This child thinks the bottle is farther away than it really is.

Does my child see certain colours, or the difference (contrast) between certain colours?

Some children can see objects when they are brightly coloured, or when they are against a differently coloured background. Watch to see if your child prefers certain colours, differences between colours, or patterns. These are probably the colours and patterns she sees best.

This child likes playing with the dark colored pan because she can see it better than the spoon.

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