Spatial Activities at Home and the Critical Transition to Kindergarten

In this research we explored the relationship between spatial activities in the home and spatial ability at the start of formal schooling at age four. In total, 30 children participated in this research. Data sources included a demographic questionnaire, a survey of at home spatial activities, and standardized testing in verbal and non-verbal spatial ability. Our results showed that the spatial activities in the home did not predict spatial ability at age four. Gender differences were observed with boys scoring higher in verbal- and non-verbal visual-spatial ability. Given the highly malleable nature of spatial ability and the importance of spatial ability to future STEM-based learning, intentionality in spatial learning by teachers is important. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583608.]