Parents, take note! Playing with Levi's and certain video games can help children develop spatial skills critical to success in science and engineering, says scientists.

By providing spatial training to children, and providing spatially demanding toys before schooling starts, we can give them the opportunity to develop skills important in fields like science, technology, engineering and math, said Anne gold from cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences in the US.

The study, published in the journal Geosphere surveyed hundreds of undergraduate students and found a huge spread in their spatial skills.

They found that childhood play patterns made a huge difference. Spatial skill scores were significantly higher among students who engaged with construction based toys, and certain video games.