Can you really train spatial skills?

Can you really train spatial skills?

Short answer: Yes! The evidence, including a 17k-student RCT, show that spatial skills, such as mental rotation, composing and decomposing shapes, and navigating in 3D, are learnable, and gains can spill over into core academics like mathematics and art.

The classic result

A landmark meta-analysis by Uttal et al. pooled 217 studies and found that spatial-skills training produces durable, transferable gains. The winning approaches weren’t one-size-fits-all: they ranged from rotation drills and paper-folding to CAD activities and hands-on construction. In plain English: practice works, and it generalizes beyond the exact task you practiced.

A massive randomized trial

One large randomized study with ~17,000 children tested a short, adaptive spatial-reasoning curriculum. The result: not only did students improve on spatial tasks, they also learned more mathematics. That’s important—because it suggests spatial training doesn’t just boost “spatial test scores”; it can lift core academic outcomes.

Younger learners & equity

Preschoolers get better at “putting shapes together” when an adult shows a model (a picture or a small build) and the child copies it—whether they use real pieces or a tablet. Studies find this works in many settings, including schools with fewer resources. The big idea: simple, guided copy-the-model activities are low-cost, easy to run, and can help more children build strong spatial skills early. Refer to (TrixelPuzzles) for a demo.

Why this matters academically

Spatial routines overlap with mathematics: angle sense, symmetry, equivalence, decomposition (area/volume), and transformations (the backbone of geometry). Training the moves of space makes the moves of math feel familiar.

With Trixel, those moves are literal: you rotate by 60°/120°, reflect across edges, and tile exact areas with congruent pieces. Learners “feel” invariants that later become theorems.

Bottom line

Spatial skills are malleable at scale. With smart design—targeted sub-skills, spaced practice, feedback, and clear language—training doesn’t just boost spatial tests; it can spill over into mathematics. Whether you’re in a classroom, a living room, or a maker space, tinkering with a few connected triangles goes a long way.

References & further reading

  • Uttal et al. Meta-analysis of spatial training (217 studies; average g ≈ 0.47). (groups.psych.northwestern.edu)
    • Large RCT (~17,000 students). Short, adaptive spatial-reasoning curriculum improved math learning as well as spatial performance. (Nature)
      • Hirsh-Pasek & colleagues. Guided build-from-model programs improved spatial assembly skill in preschoolers, including in under-resourced settings. (kathyhirshpasek.com)