It is easy for a child to end up seated in front of a television, at a fixed focal distance, watching a screen with consistent contrast, and images fixed in only two dimensions. This represents a passive type of activity which does not promote development. So, in having the child placed in this artificial and limited environment, the adult needs to be consciously aware of the requirements for development and purposely make provision to see that they are met. Today, we realize that perceptual development is not automatic, and we are further beginning to understand that development of the senses is the foundation of intelligence. We often hear that schools should teach the basics.
Most people think the basics are reading, writing, and arithmetic.
However, today, more and more, we hear of teachers having difficulty teaching children to read. The children claim the letters look the same. Obviously, our ability to receive information through our senses and interpret it will have great influence on our intelligence and our ability to read, write, or do anything. Without our senses, our mind would not have any way to receive information at all. Our potential for development is tied to our perceptual development, and our ability to use our senses is related to our early experience.