Perception games for children aged six and up
While sensory games can playfully support your child's development, perception games help further train the senses and make older children and adolescents more aware of what the senses can do. They become more aware of themselves and others. From about the sixth year, you can improve perception with the following games:
Blind orientation: If you've ever been in a dark house during a power outage, you can imagine how it feels to go without your eyesight. Without our eyes we are pretty helpless—even in familiar environments. Completely darken a room and remove objects that could injure the children. Now your child can search for you or for an object—and must rely on their sense of touch and hearing.
Tying shoelaces: Older children usually have no problem performing fine motor tasks like tying their shoes. But what about when their hands are in gloves? The sense of touch hardly works then—quite tricky!
Barefoot park: When toddlers learn to walk, they usually go barefoot. That strengthens the muscles and tendons and helps develop a feeling for different ground textures. As soon as shoes go on the feet, however, this feeling is quickly lost. Lay out a path of different surfaces, such as moss, twigs, gravel and earth. Your child can now walk over it barefoot with their eyes covered and guess what is under their feet.
Finding pairs: The whole family's shoes are thrown into a pile. With their eyes covered, the pairs must now be found. The children must concentrate on the feel, size and shape of the shoes.
Perception games for adolescents
Performance and learning successes also become increasingly important for children. What many parents completely forget is the fact that achievements and setbacks go hand in hand. Children must learn to cope with setbacks and not let failures throw them off course.
Blindfolded through the city: It is hard enough to find your way blind in familiar buildings. But how about in a pedestrian zone where we don't know the distances, where people come toward us and many noises rain down on us? In this game a teenager has their eyes covered. Another person leads them through the city. It's amazing what you perceive even when blind—but also how difficult it is and how much trust it requires!
Blind eating: The meaning of the saying "we eat with our eyes" is made particularly clear here. Because we also connect tastes with the appearance of food. When our eyes are closed, it's hard for us to distinguish fruits or other foods from one another. Depending on the choice of food, the difficulty level can be increased. It becomes especially tricky if you hold your nose at the same time.
Noisemaker chain: Similar to the game 'I'm packing my suitcase,' a teenager starts by making a sound here (e.g. clapping). The next person repeats the sound and adds a new one (e.g. stomping). This chain can be continued indefinitely until the young people mix up the sequence.
Checklist for perception games
Even parents don't avoid swear words. Most of the time they slip out spontaneously and are not unheard by our children. So it's important to be a good role model for the child. But of course you can't prevent the child from learning swear words in daycare or on the schoolyard that we don't like. Here's how you can behave then:
Perception games are ideal for sharpening your senses. But it's not only about becoming 'better'; it's also about becoming more aware of yourself and others.
There is much to discover in nature. This is the best place to try out the senses. Whether listening to animals or orienting yourself blindfolded—the outdoors offers many possibilities for children of all ages.
Learning through play: children learn best when they are having fun. The same applies to perception games: try different games together with your child and find the game your family enjoys most.
Not only is perception sharpened. Through the change of perspective (what does it feel like to be blind?), psychosocial competence is also promoted.
