How to develop your child’s concentration?
When it comes to running, jumping, or climbing, children are rarely absent. When it comes to concentrating on a book or a game, capturing the attention of your little adventurer can turn into a real challenge. Ready to take it on? So, how can you help your child stay focused daily? Here are 10 tips to develop your child’s concentration. Follow the guide!
1. Move to stay focused
Too much energy can make it hard for a child to concentrate. Do you want him to be able to give his full attention to what he is doing? Let him let off steam physically first to avoid him becoming frustrated and distracted later.
The trick? Register your child in a club. They will be able to practice a sporting activity that they have chosen themselves, and this from a very young age. At any age, moving daily is the guarantee of good physical and mental health! In addition, practicing a sporting activity allows your child to develop their concentration by learning to coordinate their movements, to be attentive to others, and to develop strategies.
2. Sleep, the pillar of concentration
You have probably noticed that a tired child is more distracted and agitated (dare we say… difficult??)
It’s up to you to keep an eye on things! Make sure your child has a regular, age-appropriate sleep schedule. On average, a 3- to 5-year-old needs 10 to 13 hours of sleep per day, and a 6- to 12-year-old typically needs 9 to 12 hours of sleep per day.
A lack of sleep can greatly affect children’s ability to concentrate. If you notice that your child is tired, you can try putting them to bed 30 or 45 minutes earlier. It’s not easy, we admit, but offer them, for example, some quiet reading time under the covers before going to sleep. That’s a lot of rest gained!
3. Fewer screens, more concentration
We bet you saw that one coming. And yet, screens are strongly discouraged for children, because they are particularly harmful to their attention span.
Before the age of 2, it is best not to let your child spend more than 10 consecutive minutes in front of a screen. Ideally, you can completely ban its use. Between the ages of 3 and 6, screen exposure sessions of less than 20 minutes are recommended to prevent your child from becoming overwhelmed.
To ensure that screen time is beneficial, support your child and ensure that the television, smartphone, or tablet does not monopolize (too much) their attention. Go ahead, make yourself a good coffee, and be patient: their favorite heroes can be fun!
To reduce exposure to screens, it is always a good idea to favor other activities that are more likely to develop your child’s cognitive abilities, such as reading or board games!
4. For concentration, read, without moderation!
Settled in a quiet environment, book in hand, your child can completely immerse themselves in another universe. Total fun! Immersed in incredible stories, they won’t even see the pages turn. Reading develops children’s imagination as well as their concentration skills. And, you know what, we notice that children who read regularly are better able to stay focused at school.
Your child is capable of developing a natural taste for reading, especially if you help them! Start gently, with a short session every evening before bedtime, or when you feel like sharing a good book with them. To make them want to repeat, choose books that are appropriate for their age and interests. If your child loves animals, a book on the subject can only excite them. If you have a child who is curious about the world around them, why not opt for a subscription to travel journals? It’s the perfect children’s magazine: fun, colorful, and full of fabulous stories.
Don’t hesitate to vary the types of books: stories, magazines, comics, collections of short stories… There’s something for everyone!
5. Overstimulated child, scattered child
Too much external stimulation can tire and distract even the most attentive child. A bright light, a siren that sounds, and the television… are all stimuli that can affect their concentration.
To develop your child’s concentration, try to create the calmest and most sober environment possible. Easier said than done? Not necessarily! Opt for dim lighting, close the windows if the street is noisy, and turn off screens as much as possible. Easy?
Also, consider lightening your child’s schedule. A schedule that is too busy is stressful for everyone and could even prevent them from getting involved enough in each activity. Plus, it’s a win-win: the fewer activities there are, the less you’ll be playing taxi!
6. Play as a means of learning
Learning through play: the idea is not new, but it has proven itself. Play remains the best way to help your child concentrate more… without experiencing it as a constraint! It must be said that by playing, a child can repeat the same actions without stress, develop their strategic mind, or even express their emotions. Board games, figurines, construction games, or creative hobbies, everyone will find what they are looking for!
Board games are the ideal activity to work on your child’s concentration through play. While having fun and sharing precious moments with parents, siblings, or friends, the child will think intensely to try to win. (Or choose to cheat. But there, we let you manage?.) This competitive spirit stimulates the child and allows him to develop his concentration.
7. Be a good listener
A child is always more likely to concentrate when it comes to activities that interest him, we don’t need to tell you anything. However, everyone has their interests: it’s up to you to understand what makes your child tick and what activities could result from them.
An introverted child will tend to gravitate towards manual activities such as painting, modeling clay, or drawing. A dynamic and sociable child may rather want to flourish in team sports. But let yourself be surprised by your children’s desires!
8. Accompany the child in his activities
To motivate your child and develop his concentration, why not start the activity with him? In this way, he feels accompanied and supported in his actions, which encourages him to stay focused on what he is doing.
Once he’s started his momentum, nothing is stopping you from continuing to watch him do it without taking any direct part in it. Caught up in his activity, he may not even notice that you’ve gone from being an actor to a spectator!
9. Everything in its own time
A child does not think like an adult… Elementary, my dear Watson! Once we have broken down this (wide) open door, we still have to adapt. The idea is to understand how he functions, to help him develop his concentration.
Give him the instructions for the activity one by one, taking the time to make sure that he has understood and processed the information before moving on to the next one.
By avoiding information overload, the child only has one task to focus on. This way, he does not get distracted.
10. The Golden Rule: Indulgence
Indulgence is the key word for parents when developing their child. Your little caterpillar will not turn into a big butterfly overnight!
Developing a child’s attention span can take time, depending on their personality and a multitude of external factors. These tips should help you improve your child’s attention span daily, but be assured that they will continue to wander at times. And, ultimately, that’s a good sign. Let’s give them time to be kids!