10 Ways to Improve Your Child’s Attention

Photo by Gabby K from Pexels

by Sarah Duch

Our children live in a high-tech world with constant visual and auditory stimulation. This can make sitting in a classroom desk very difficult for even the best student. Try a few of these activities at home to help improve your child’s attention in the classroom.

1. Get your child involved in a project of interest to him or her.

For example, teach him or her to draw, sculpt with play-dough, cross-stitch, string beads, build model airplanes and cars, etc. Set small goals first, and slowly build up to more complex activities that require long-term concentration.

2. Play “I Spy” games.

You can buy books such as “Where’s Waldo,” or “I Spy,” or you can use computer games like “Mystery PI.” You can get your child more involved by creating your own games and “egg hunts” within your house.

3. Puzzles are always great attention games.

These could be jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, Sudoku, Mahjong, etc. These are all available for every age group.

4. Find audiobooks and have your child listen to the book with you.

If your child is older, have her help you pick out the story. For younger children, pick short books or nursery rhymes, and you can even record the story yourself. After listening to the book, have your child tell you what it was about, or at least have them tell you her favorite part.

5. Play word games.

These can be played in many ways, such as saying one word and having your child rhyme the word. Another game is “Word Tag.” To play, pick a category (animals, toys, foods, etc.) and say a word in that category. The next person must think of a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word. For younger children, you could just go down the alphabet, naming animals that begin with each letter.

6. Play memory games.

Games such as “Simon” are great for improving concentration. There are also free computer games on the Internet, such as “Mosquito Killer.” For older children, check out the exercises on “Lumosity.” These games are all quick and fun, and they motivate the child to remember the location of pictures and sequences.

7. Give your child chores.

These can be very small tasks, but reward your child with praise or a small privilege when he completes that task.

8. Create a secret handshake with your child.

Your child will love this special bond that only you two know. As the child gets better at the handshake, add more steps.

9. Limit TV and video games.

Most parents already try to limit these activities, but often, the parent does not realize how long they have actually allowed the child to play or watch. Set a timer for yourself so you can keep up with how long your child has been watching. Once you establish a set time limit, make sure your child knows the limit and she can watch the clock along with you.