It’s natural for your child to feel and act a little restless. Kids have bundles of energy and smaller attention spans compared to us adults. And younger children especially have an innate curiosity with the world around them and how it all works.
But the pace of modern life could be making it even more difficult for your child to concentrate.
According to child development experts, kids should be able to stay focussed on a task for 3-5 times their age. So for an eight-year-old, that’s 24-40 minutes.
The more interested they are, the more likely they are to concentrate on the task in-hand. This is one of the reasons why which kids struggle to focus on routine tasks and chores they find boring, much to the frustration of their parents.
Screens aren’t helping…
They provide constant stimulation, immediate gratification, and are a constant distraction for kids. And it’s not just kids either. A recent study by Microsoft found adult attentions spans have shortened by up to a third!
As a result, kids may struggle when it comes time to listening to their teacher or perform any task that requires focusing on one thing and resisting distractions.
In fact, 87% of teachers believe modern technology modern technologies is impacting kids’ attention spans short attention spans, according to a survey by The Pew Research Center.
As a concerned parent, you may wonder what you can do to help your child increase their attention span? By mastering these simple techniques together, you will be helping your child form good habits that last a lifetime, with benefits them at home, at school, and in the workplace too!
Providing a Supportive Environment
1) Serve nutritious foods. Fuel your child’s brain and stabilise their blood sugar with a balanced diet featuring plenty of fruit, veg and fibre. For healthy nutritional tips, click here.
2) Exercise daily. Physical activity helps keeps our minds sharp at any age. Go for an evening walk, or buy a family gym membership! You can check out these other ideas too.
3) Limit screen time. Paediatricians recommend limiting kids’ screen time to two hours a day, so set screen time rules and have plenty of non-screen activity ideas to choose from.
4) Rest and relax. Stick to consistent bedtimes wherever possible, even on weekends and vacations. This helps kids [and parents] get into a consistent sleep route.
5) Make Chores fun. Turn chores into an amusing contest they’ll enjoy and use a reward chart to help motivate them along the way. You can download a simple reward chart here.
6) Adjust your schedule. Kids usually have at least one time of day when they’re at their peak. Where possible, arrange extracurricular activities at times that matches their productivity.
7) Be a positive role model. Your child will appreciate the importance of concentration if they see how it enhances your life. Listen to them attentively and try to avoid multi-tasking.
Encouraging Constructive Habits
1) Communicate face to face. It’s convenient to stay in touch by phone or text, but kids need to practice with real conversations. Plan for family dinners and weekend outings.
2) Practice self-talk. Anxiety can cause a lack of focus. Guide your child on how to give themselves a pep talk when they face a challenging situation. For more on beating anxiety, click here.
3) Head outdoors. Nature has a powerful effect on our minds. A hike through the woods or tending plants in the garden will help your child to slow down and become more observant.
4) Breathe deeply. Our breathing influences our thoughts and feelings. You kids can harness the power of their breathing with these 5 fun breathing exercises.
5) Work on crafts. Children love to immerse themselves in hand-on activities like arts and crafts. Visit your local library and browse online for project ideas.
6) Read books. Story time is an ideal opportunity to train your child to focus . Let your child pick books that interest them, and take turns reading to each other or as a family.
7) Make believe. For playtime, rely on toys and activities that stretch your child’s imagination. You’ll be amazed what they can do with a newspaper!
The power of concentration aids listening, mindfulness, helps harness their energy, and achieve more with less effort! Help your child to succeed in school and in the workplace.
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