Mitten Visual Discrimination Printable

Visual discrimination skills are an important part of the process of learning how to read.

Young children need plenty of opportunities to practice identifying the similarities and differences in pictures and symbols to develop strong visual discrimination skills.

These mitten visual discrimination task cards are perfect for a winter theme in your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom.

Keep reading to get your copy of the printable mitten visual discrimination task cards!

Visual Discrimination Skills

Letter confusion is very common with young children, they have not yet had enough practice distinguishing the lines and squiggles in letters to correctly identify them.

It’s not uncommon for children to confuse similar letters like lowercase e and lowercase g. If this happens, don’t panic, just focus on developing strong visual discrimination skills!

Activities that require children to closely look at pictures to identify the similarities and differences will help develop strong visual discrimination skills.

When children have well developed visual discrimination skills they will be more likely to be able to fluently identify letters and numbers.

Supplies Needed

Small objects can be used to mark the pictures that are the same on each task card, I have listed some of my favorites for you below.

Mitten Visual Discrimination Activity

This is an activity that is best done in small groups so you don’t need too many items or cards.

First, print the mitten task cards on cardstock, one for each child in your small group.

Next, laminate the pages for durability and cut in half, each page contains two different task cards.

Then, place some small objects like Unifix cubes, bingo chips, or flat floral marbles in the middle of your small group area so all the children in your small group can easily reach them.

If your children are young enough to put objects in their mouths it is an indication that this activity is too advanced for them and their time would be better spent on other activities.

Your children will benefit more from this activity if you demonstrate first how to look carefully at each card and locate the two mittens that are the same. Show them how to put one object on top of each of the pictures that are the same on their task card.

Invite the children to describe the pictures of the mittens on their task cards and find the two that are the same to develop oral language and critical thinking skills.

Mitten Visual Discrimination Directions

To play, give one mitten task card to each child in your small group. Invite the children to locate the two mittens that are the same and place one object on top of each image that is the same.

Be sure to explain to the children that their cards can be traded with a friend after they have identified and marked the images. This is a quick activity for some and they may need a reminder about what to do when they are “done.”

If you prefer, you could also make an entire set of cards for each child in your small group. Hole punch each set of cards in the upper left corner and place the cards on a book ring to create individual booklets. When a child finishes a card he or she can turn the page in the booklet.