If you are a parent of an active child, then you might be having problems to get him or her to concentrate. What you should know is you are not alone. There are various parents out there having the same problems with their kids. Children are curious naturally and this makes it difficult to concentrate on a subject for a long time. Add their curiosity to their energy and you might be having a huge problem with their attention span.
Adults are wired to complete given tasks whether they enjoy doing it or not. However, this is not the case for children. Children get bored easily when they are doing things they do not consider fun. Once boredom sets in, they will then shift their attention to other interesting or fun activities. As a concerned parent, you should know that there are so many ways to improve the attention span of your child.
Signs that your child has low attention span
There are so many times that children go through things that their parents are unable to keep up with. Some of their actions could lead to yelling or punishment from their parents. What they fail to understand is that there is always a trigger for children’s action. Therefore, if you notice some of the signs below in your child, it is possible he or she is suffering from low attention span.
- Gets distracted quite easily
- Sudden lack of interest in a task
- Constant daydreaming
- Has difficulties sitting still to think
- Problems following simple instructions
- Cannot organize things
- Loses focus while performing tasks
These are some of the signs your child will have if he or she is struggling with their attention span. It is left to you as a parent to do things that would help improve the attention of your child.
Tips on how to improve your child’s attention span
Engage in concentration games
If your child has problems focusing, one way to improve it is by engaging in concentration games with the said child. Playing games is one huge way of catching a child’s attention. It is engaging, fun, and interesting. You can help them by buying toys and games that will keep them focused and entertained. Some of the games you can engage in are:
Puzzles: This is a thinking game that will require the full concentration of a child. It requires planning and the constant use of memory. There are lots of crossword and jigsaw puzzles that you can engage in with your child. Picture puzzles are also effective and you can introduce it to them.
Numbers: Asking your child to count backward will no doubt require all of their concentration. You can also give a child a little educative work to find or detect missing numbers or alphabets.
Spot the difference: This is another type of focus game you can engage in with your child. It keeps them entertained and focused for a long time.
Limit the use of gadgets
Gadgets such as cell phones, televisions, iPads, etc. can drastically reduce the attention span of a child. In addition to that, they can also affect the memory of a child. Therefore, if you are looking forward to improve the attention span of your child then you should minimize the amount of time they spend in front of a screen. Spending a considerable amount of time in front of a television can affect the ability of your child to stay focus in real life. It can affect your child socially, emotionally, and even intellectually. They are also a huge source of distractions. One way to help them is to schedule their study time and screen time appropriately.
Engage in physical activities
Another tip if you want to improve the attention span of your child is to give them breaks for play. After studying for an hour or two, let the child go out to pal ball or other outdoor fun activities. This is one method that helps children who are having problems in staying focused. You can also adopt letting the child run around before you engage them in any other activities. Children need to spend considerable amount of time engaging in physical activities.
Understanding the learning style of your child
There are so many ways with which children learn. Every child process information differently. You need to know the category your child falls through if you would want to improve his or her attention span. The teaching method for a child that learns through vision will be different from a child that learns through hearing. Here are some learning styles and how you can help them.
Visual: A child who learns through visual can only understand things when they see it. Such child will lose focus if you read things out for them. They need to see it to be able to learn. If you want to help them improve their attention span, they you can make flashcards or ask them to put what they are learning in drawings.
Auditory: If your child only learns when he or she hears something, then this is their learning style. You can help their learning process by reading things aloud for them or asking them to also read it. Educational music are also ways you can help this type of children.
Kinesthetic: The children with this learning style need to be able to touch to help them understand better. The best way to get their attention is through practical lessons. When you let them touch and feel what they are learning, it will be easier for them to process it better.
Prepare a serene environment
The learning environment can also affect the attention span of your child. There are children who perform well in a calm environment while others would prefer the exact opposite. You need to discover the desired learning environment for your child so as to improve his or her attention. Additionally, try to put everything you would require during the course of learning within your reach. Getting up to take books, pens, or drink water could affect the attention span of a child.
Conclusion
In summary, the first thing you need to do to improve your child’s attention span is to identify what is making him or her lose concentration. Once you have been able to do that, you can then use any of the above tips to help your child learn easier and much better.
