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concepts and abstract spatial and fine motor skills. The development of this
reasoning. intelligence will help them in any career they choose,”
“spatial reasoning says Dr. Akhil Shahani, the Mumbai-based chairman
skills can be developed of Global Discovery schools, a chain of 14 institutions
in several ways and are across India.
especially important While introducing spatial tasks in early childhood
for success and education is important, child development experts believe
innovation in sTEM that stimulating spatial
(science, technology, intelligence in the
engineering, and middle years between
maths) careers. dr. akhil Shahani ages 8-12 is more
Teachers and parents crucial. “Children
should introduce children to activities such as solving in primary school
puzzles, using maps, visual aids, and drawing from early should be exposed and
age to improve their spatial intelligence. simple tasks such encouraged to learn
as asking three-five-year-old preschoolers to copy shapes experientially and
from a blackboard on paper, helps them develop their given the freedom to
explore through play
activities. Although
SPatiaL cELEbrity ProfiLES this is one of the Mimansha Popat
Here’s a list of artists and explorers who used their most important of
spatial skills to pursue successful careers. Each of the eight intelligences
them also happened to live with a disability. it is often neglected. Educators and parents need to do
Leonardo da Vinci more to develop the capability of students to visualise
Italian painter, sculptor, architect, musician, three-dimensional shapes and process information,”
engineer, and scientist. Renaissance Man. He had a says Mimansha Popat, psychotherapist at Prafulta
learning disability. Psychological services, Mumbai.
Admiral Peary Here are some activities recommended by child
American arctic explorer and naval officer. He had a development experts to improve visual-spatial intelligence
communicative disorder. of children in the age group 8-12.
Vincent Van Gogh  Free play (outdoor and indoors) exposes children to
Post-impressionist painter, Netherlands-born Van spatial experiences in their immediate environment. For
Gogh had epilepsy and struggled with mental illness, instance, knowing if they can pass through a narrow
including depression and dementia. corridor or fit under the living room sofa helps them
Marc Chagall develop spatial reasoning.
Russian cubist and expressionist painter. He had a  Playing informal games such as hopscotch, marbles
communicative disorder. and lagori (seven tiles) and formal rules-driven games such
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec as badminton, promotes body control and balance and
French painter and lithographer. lautrec fell and helps children understand the connotations of space and
broke both legs when he was a child and was distance.
permanently stunted.  Drawing, especially landscapes and cityscapes, helps
children become familiar with angles and perspective.
EXErciSE  Amateur photography develops visual perspective.
Ask your children if they can think of any famous  Maps reading helps children grasp concepts of space
people who have high spatial intelligence. start them and direction. Asking children to help with navigation
off with a few familiar names: using Google maps enables them to learn about multiple
 Frank lloyd Wright travel options in the real world.
 Andy Warhol  Children’s sense of direction can be developed by
 Georgia O'Keeffe asking them to gather specific objects from different
 Martha stewart locations in a house. Parents could also draw charts and
 The Wright Brothers ask their children to colour items either on the left, right,
 Amelia Earhart top or bottom of a page.
 several educational games and puzzles such as
Source: multiple intelligences in the classroom by thomas
armstrong (ascd 1994) Tangram and Katimino enhance spatial reasoning
capability.

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