23/08/2026
One skill we do not talk about enough is spatial awareness.
Some children know the answer, know the letter, and still get mixed up when position and direction matter.
That is one reason letters like b, d, p and q can be tricky. The shape is similar, but the orientation changes. Children need to notice where a line sits in relation to the circle, and whether that part is on the left, right, up or down.
A simple movement activity that starts building this idea is Nose to Finger Tap.
Children work with a partner. First they gently tap their own nose. Then they reach out and tap their partner’s finger. Repeat the pattern slowly. You can change the position of the finger so it is a little higher, lower, to the left or to the right.
It looks playful, but there is a lot going on underneath it.
Children are judging where their own body is in space, where another person is in space, and how to move accurately from one point to another. They are using visual attention, body awareness, reaching accuracy and directional understanding all at once.
As an Exercise Physiologist, I love this because it gives children a physical experience of position before we expect them to manage position on the page. We are not saying this activity will “fix” letter reversals, but it does support the broader spatial awareness that helps children make sense of orientation and direction.
You can make it easier by keeping the partner’s finger still and close by. You can make it harder by changing height, changing sides, or asking children to use the opposite hand.
Sometimes the best early literacy support does not begin with another worksheet. Sometimes it begins with helping the body understand space a little more clearly.
If your school or kindergarten team would like practical movement ideas that connect directly back to learning, reach out about a Play Move Improve webinar or workshop. Save this one, or share it with an educator who is supporting children with letters that keep flipping around.
