Some of the ways through which you can improve your child’s concentration include setting tasks based on maturity level, practicing concentration for long duration, being physically active, getting proper sleep, including regular breaks, limiting distractions, working at same place, teaching how to set goals, playing memory games, dividing big tasks into smaller ones and finally finding out the cause for distraction.

It is a known fact that children have difficulty concentrating on their tasks, particularly school work. It is not easy to focus on a task for any length of time, but there are ways to help kids improve their ability to concentrate and pay attention to what they are doing. There are always commotions and distractions in life so concentration and focus is a crucial life skill that children need to learn. When they are able to focus and complete a task, they gain a feeling of accomplishment which then encourages them to do their best in everything.

Source: Israel 21c

11 Tips To Improve Your Child’s Ability To Concentration

Here are 11 concentration-boosting tips that will help immensely in improving your little one’s concentration and attention span.

1. Set tasks based on maturity level

One of the most common reasons children lose focus on a task is because it is either too hard or too easy. It is important to ensure that the activity or task is the right skill level for your child’s age. A task could also be boring, tedious or not challenging, but you need to make your child understand that in life, everyone has to do things that are not fun or interesting at times. It is also helpful to point out that the sooner the boring task is completed, the more time they will have to do things that are more fun.

2. Practice concentrating for long duration

Experts recommend a complex game like chess as it can help in improving your child’s ability to focus for long stretches of time. Make sure that they play with others who are challenging. Chess is a game that can enhance concentration and memory and these are important skills that can improve performance in the many other areas of life. Complex games require everyone to use their brain, giving it the exercise it needs. They keep your child’s mind active, thereby improving focus, attention as well as memory

3. Be more physically active

One of the most effective ways to improve concentration is to start a regular exercise regimen. Physical activity has many benefits and one of them is that it helps in sharpening focus. According to a study, regular aerobic exercise may help in developing parts of the brain that are related to memory and attention. Research has also shown that even exercising for 10 to 40 minutes can increase mental focus and concentration which is believed to be due to the improvement of blood flow to the brain. Get your child to start exercising regularly to keep their mind focused and alert.

4. Get proper sleep

If children do not sufficient sleep that is restful, their ability to focus will wane. It will keep them from being as mentally focused as they could be. Find out why your child is unable to get a decent night’s sleep. For example, if an old mattress keeps them tossing and turning all night, get rid of it and replace it with a comfortable one. You will find that once you solved the problem, your child can get restful sleep every night and their ability to concentrate is greatly improved.

5. Incorporate regular breaks

There have been many studies that show that taking incorporating regular breaks into your child’s schedule plays an important part in increasing their concentration level. It could be due to the fact that prolonged attention to one task has a negative effect on performance. According to one research, participants who took two breaks during a cognitive task of 50 minutes performed better than those who worked without any breaks. Let your child take a 10-minute break every 2 hours and it will make a huge difference.

6. Limit distractions

The 24/7 Internet availability, other kids playing, television, etc. can distract your child big-time and prevent them from completing the task at hand. To avoid this, let your child have a quiet space to work when concentration is required. If their task does not require a computer, you should shut it down to eliminate the temptation of the Internet. Once distractions are controlled, you will be able to boost your child’s concentration so that they can work productively and efficiently.

7. Work in the same place

Changing your work location can make you vulnerable to external stimuli that cause distractions. According to experts, habituating yourself to one location can help in getting your mind used to the area and make you want to work. When you are consistent in your environment and attempting to work in the same location at the same time every day helps in increasing your natural tendency to do work in that place. So let your child pick a place that they are most comfortable in and allow them to work in that same place every time they have a project to complete.

8. Teach setting goals

One of the best ways to improve your child’s concentration is to set goals. Teach them how to set goals for themselves so that they can complete their tasks and projects and accomplish their goals. With your guidance, your child can set goals and gain rewards for reaching them. This can motivate them a great deal and they will try harder to focus on any task at hand.

9. Play a game

One of the most effective ways to make your child concentrate longer is to set a timer that your child needs to work at to beat. It has been shown that at times, children are able to focus longer when a short period of time is set for them for a particular task. Memory games are also another great way to increase your child’s ability to concentrate.

10. Divide major tasks into smaller ones

One of the most effective tips to boost your child’s concentration and focus is to divide a major project into small tasks as big tasks can be overwhelming for children. This will make them lose their interest and focus. Even adults can go through it, so trying to make things a little easier for your child to keep their interest on the task is important. When you split up the tasks, your child will have a feeling of progress as they progress with the pieces.

11. Find out the cause of distraction

It is important to try and figure out what is causing your child to be distracted so easily and all the time. Acknowledging the fact that they are distracted and facing the issue is better than trying to suppress it. According to experts, it is important to find out if a distraction is physical or mental. If it is mental, keeping your child away from the phone, PC, etc. If it is a physical distraction, give them a snack or take a short walk with them. Instead of getting upset, find out the root of the problem and get rid of it.

You need to be able to concentrate to complete tasks, whether it is at work or school. It is important to find ways to prevent your child from getting distracted. As you can see, you do not need to take any drastic steps to sharpen their focus. With a few simple, easy-to-do tips, you can improve their ability to focus, no matter what task is at hand.