10 Free Eye Tracking Exercises and Visual Tracking Activities for Reading

Reading requires the eyes to move smoothly across a line of text and then shift accurately to the next line. For some learners, this happens automatically. Others may lose their place, skip words or lines, reread the same line, or find that reading quickly becomes tiring. Weak visual tracking skills may be one reason these difficulties occur. In this article, we’ll explore what visual tracking is, why it matters for reading, and practical eye tracking exercises and activities that can help strengthen this skill. 

Visual tracking is the ability to move the eyes smoothly and accurately across a line of text and then shift to the correct place on the next line. When tracking is difficult, the eyes may jump forward or backward, lose their place, or struggle to stay on the correct line.

These difficulties may lead to skipped words or lines, repeated lines, frequent loss of place, and eye fatigue. Because efficient visual tracking helps readers move through text accurately and comfortably, difficulties in this area can make reading slower, more effortful, and more frustrating.

Why Is Visual Tracking Important?

Efficient visual tracking helps readers move through text accurately and with less effort. When tracking is difficult, a learner may use so much mental energy simply trying to stay on the correct word or line that fewer cognitive resources are available for understanding, remembering, and visualizing what they read.

Visual tracking is also important beyond reading. It supports activities such as writing, copying information, scanning a page or screen, and following moving objects in the environment.

What Eye Movements Support Visual Tracking?

Several types of eye movements work together to support efficient visual tracking:

Fixations

Fixation is the ability to hold the eyes steadily on a target long enough to take in visual information. During reading, the eyes briefly pause, or fixate, on words and groups of words.

Saccades

Saccades are quick eye movements from one target to another. They help the eyes move across a line of text and shift accurately from the end of one line to the beginning of the next.

Pursuits

Pursuits are smooth eye movements used to follow a moving target, such as a ball traveling through the air or an object moving across the visual field.

Eye Tracking Exercises and Visual Tracking Activities

The following eye-tracking exercises and visual tracking activities offer practical ways to practice fixations, saccades, pursuits, scanning, and maintaining one’s place. Some require no special materials, while others use tools, technology, or games to make practice more engaging.

1) Use Your Finger When Reading

Using a finger to guide the eyes across a line of text can help readers maintain their place and move more smoothly from word to word. This simple strategy may also reduce the mental effort required to keep track of where they are on the page, leaving more cognitive resources available for comprehension.

For some readers, finger tracking can also support a steadier reading pace. Encourage the reader to move their finger smoothly beneath the words rather than pointing to each word individually.

2) Try Video-Based Visual Tracking Activities

Video-based activities can provide focused practice with visual tracking, peripheral vision, and attention. For example, following a ball as it moves across the screen encourages the eyes to track a single target, while other activities can challenge learners to notice information at the edges of their visual field.

Short activities with varied levels of difficulty can make practice more engaging and allow learners to gradually build their skills.

3) Play Ping Pong 

Ping pong is a fun way to practice following a fast-moving target. Players must track the ball as it changes speed, direction, and distance.

Simply watching a game can also provide useful tracking practice. Sit near the side of the table, keep your head relatively still, and follow the ball with your eyes as it moves back and forth.

4)  Read the First and Last Word on Each Line

Choose a page of text and read only the first and last word on each line, moving from the top of the page to the bottom. This encourages the eyes to shift accurately across the page and then move to the correct line below.

If reading the words is difficult, try identifying only the first and last letter on each line. As the activity becomes easier, gradually increase the speed while maintaining accuracy.

5) Track a Metronome or a Crystal Pendulum. 

Place a swinging metronome or pendulum about one to two feet away. Keep your head comfortably still and follow the moving object with your eyes as it travels from side to side.

Start at a slow, comfortable pace and gradually increase the speed as tracking becomes easier.

6) Use a Reading App That Highlights Words

Reading apps that highlight text as it is read can help some learners maintain their place and follow words more smoothly. Adjust the speed so the highlighting moves at a comfortable pace, then gradually increase it as tracking becomes easier.

Apps such as Voice Dream Reader can pair highlighted text with spoken audio or allow readers to follow the highlighting independently.

7) Scan Text For a Common Letter or Word

Choose a common letter, such as A, or a frequently used word such as the. Scan through a page of text from left to right and circle or mark each occurrence.

This activity encourages systematic scanning and helps the eyes practice moving accurately across lines of text.

8) Read Aloud or Try Echo Reading

Reading aloud encourages the eyes, voice, and brain to work together while moving through text. If independent reading aloud is difficult, try Echo Reading: Read a sentence or short passage aloud while the learner follows the words with their eyes. Then have the learner reread the same sentence or passage aloud while continuing to track the text.

9) Play Balloon Toss Games

Tossing and catching a balloon provides a playful way to practice following a moving object. Because balloons move more slowly than balls, they can be especially helpful for beginners.

As tracking improves, increase the challenge by changing the direction or distance of the tosses or progressing to a lightweight ball.

10) Play an Online Game of Pong

Playing an online version of Pong offers a simple way to practice following a moving target across the screen. Keep your head relatively still and track the ball with your eyes as it moves from side to side. The changing speed and direction can make the activity increasingly challenging.