Easy Ways To Improve Your Child’s Attention Span

7 minute read

For some, communicating with our children can be complicated and sometimes stressful, especially if they gaze at you blankly after giving them instructions as if they haven’t heard anything.

Whether it’s instructions from their parents, paying attention in class or completing a task, children often find it hard to focus. Yet, the key to success lies in how well-developed their concentration span is!

If you’ve noticed that your child is having a difficult time focusing and is easily distracted, it could be time to change up their routine by introducing new behavioural and learning strategies. Today, we are going through some easy ways to improve your child’s attention span.

What is attention span?

Your child’s attention span is their ability to give their undivided attention to a specific task.

Part of improving your child’s attention span is in managing your expectations. Did you know that children can concentrate for roughly 2 to 3 minutes per year of age? For example, the attention span of a 3-year-old is approximately 6 to 9 minutes, while the attention span of a 16-year-old is approximately 32 to 48 minutes.

Since every child is different, this is just a general guide. Of course, some children may concentrate for longer when they are engrossed in an interesting activity. If you are concerned about your child’s attention span, you should assess if you are expecting them to concentrate for a reasonable amount of time.

Exercise

Movement burns calories, creates calmness and ultimately improves focus. Exercise boosts serotonin in the brain which results in a level of peace, leaving your child feeling calmer.

All it takes is 30-minute bursts of aerobic and cardio activity right before sitting down to do a serious task.

We recommend incorporating fun movement activities into your child’s routine. Try these out: sports, tag, playing in the park, or even slower activities and mindfulness practices like stretching and meditation.

Nutrition

We are fuelled by what we eat! Our productivity, level of fatigue, mood and focus can all be improved by nutrition.

If your child is struggling to focus, then start by limiting processed foods and sugars.

Incorporate fresh fruits, vegetables, low-sugar snacks, avocado, fatty fish and nuts into their diet. They will stop feeling jittery and will soon be able to maintain their focus better.

Rewards and encouragement

Try to make it a priority to acknowledge and praise your children for their wins, no matter how small.

Set a challenge and reward your child upon completion. For example, if your child can complete a specific task in under an hour, allow them to play a game they’ve been wanting to play.

Sensory strategies

For some children, fidgeting is a normal part of life and something they can’t control. Their minds and bodies are in a constant state of movement and they find it hard to sit still and keep focused.

Fidget toys are a great way to keep their hands busy, allowing them to focus on the task at hand.

Other sensory activities include building a sensory box full of different textures, making sludge or goo to play with (just mix cornstarch with water and food colouring) or creating a sensory rainbow to paint and squish (just mix cream cheese and food colouring).

Create a routine

Children thrive when they are in a good routine! Their regular routine should include schoolwork, chores and other tasks, such as helping with dinner, that require attention and focus.

Build a habit of starting homework right after school and be clear when you set expectations!

If you notice they are struggling to complete the task, step in and help them to refocus. How you do this will depend on the situation, and it may include reminding them of the task at hand and the instructions you have already given them.

Avoid information overload

Part of helping your child to concentrate is in how you communicate with them.

Break down tasks into smaller steps, making it easier for your children to tackle them. Use written lists or charts to keep track of everything that needs to be done.

When you give verbal instructions, be precise and make eye contact. Then, to ensure that they have understood you, have your children repeat the instructions back to you.

Brain breaks

Rather than asking your child to remain focused while completing the entire task from start to finish, choose a manageable amount of time and incorporate breaks.

To make these focus sessions more fruitful, use a timer!

In between sessions, let them get up, wander around or take a stretch break. These breaks can be as short as 1 minute. This will reset their body and keep them feeling refreshed.

Minimise distractions

There are practical steps that you can take to eliminate distractions. Create a space where your child can focus on the task at hand. They should have somewhere quiet and comfortable that’s designated for homework and other school tasks.

Turn off the TV and other tech devices and consider incorporating a no-tech day into your family’s weekly routine! This is a day without any technology, so say goodbye to social media, electronic games and other entertainment apps for the duration of this technology-free day.

Identify their learning style

Your child may have a hard time processing verbal instructions but might excel when given visual aids. Understanding their learning style can help you come up with the best way to motivate them to learn or to complete their chores.

These are the three learning styles:

Encourage good sleep

Children should be getting 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. In order to achieve this, aim for a simple, consistent and relaxing sleep routine.

A good night’s rest will have your children waking up feeling fresh and ready to tackle the day! Ultimately, consistent rest will result in a longer concentration span.

Manage activities

Encourage your child to take part in activities that have an end result. If they are drawing, it’s easy to stop when they get bored with the task. A task like doing a puzzle is much more likely to be completed because there is an end result.

Provide more opportunities for tasks like this and watch your child persevere for longer, lengthening their concentration span over time.

Reading

Children may have limited attention spans due to the way things are presented to them. Games and TV shows are fast-paced and promote instant gratification. There’s barely any time for children to wait for their rewards.

This is where reading comes in. Reading encourages children to sit through several chapters to get to the end. And that’s how it increases your child’s attention span. Incorporate reading into your child’s daily routine, by selecting age-appropriate books to read together.

We have online tutors available as well as tutors in Johannesburg, tutors in Pretoria, tutors in Durban and tutors in Cape Town

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