When Vision Leads the Way: Understanding Visually Guided Movement in Children

At Forbes Care, our Occupational Therapists often work with children who move through the world a little differently. One pattern we see in some children is a strong reliance on visually guiding their body parts — meaning they need to look at their hands, feet, or legs to complete even simple movements.

While this might not stand out at first glance, it offers important insight into how that child’s sensory and motor systemsare working — and where they might need support.

What Does "Visually Guiding the Body" Mean?

Typically, our bodies can sense where our limbs are in space without us having to look. This internal awareness is known as proprioception — a key part of how we move smoothly and efficiently.

When proprioceptive processing is tricky, the brain may not automatically register where the body is or how it’s moving. As a result, the child (or adult) uses vision to compensate.

Instead of feeling their body in space, they need to watch it.

Real-Life Examples

Here are a few ways visually guided movement might show up:

• A child watching their feet carefully as they walk up or down stairs
• Looking at their hand while bringing a spoon to their mouth at mealtimes
• Staring at their fingers while doing up buttons or tying laces
• Watching their legs closely while jumping, instead of feeling the movement naturally

These behaviours are common in children with sensory processing differences, dyspraxia, or motor planning challenges. They’re not “wrong” — they’re simply clues that a child may need extra support to build body awareness and confidence in movement.

Why It Matters

Relying heavily on vision to move can be mentally exhausting. It may impact a child’s ability to multitask, keep up in busy environments, or participate confidently in play, learning, or self-care.

Our role as Occupational Therapists is to help the child gradually strengthen their proprioceptive awareness and motor planning skills, so they can begin to move more intuitively — and with less effort.

How OT Can Help

At Forbes Care, our therapists tailor support to each child’s unique sensory and motor profile. We might use:

• Play-based proprioceptive activities (pushing, pulling, jumping, crawling)
• Motor planning games that encourage sequencing and coordination
• Visual supports when needed, paired with strategies to gently build internal body awareness
• Parent coaching to help families recognise signs and support movement at home

We focus on building skills in a way that’s safe, fun, and respectful of how each child experiences their body and the world around them.

Every Movement is a Message

When a child needs to watch their hands or feet to move, it’s not a sign of failure — it’s a communication from their body.

At Forbes Care, we’re here to listen, observe, and support. By understanding the “why” behind movement patterns, we help children move through life with more confidence, ease, and joy.

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