helping your child focus homework

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Raising-independent-kids

Evidence-based parenting tips and resources

10 Evidence-backed Tips to Teach Kids Focus and Concentration

May 29, 2017 by Sanya Pelini, Ph.D. 17 Comments

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

After years spent in different sectors of the education system, one thing I know for sure is that concentration in children doesn’t always come easy. Lack of focus and concentration is one of the issues most teachers struggle with; It is also one of the issues many parents struggle with.

Before I begin, here’s an outline of what this article will cover:

– Signs of poor concentration in children

– How to help your child learn to focus and concentrate better

– Some of the common causes of children’s inattention

– 18 easy tips to improve your child’s focus, concentration and self-regulation skills

– Toys and games that can help improve your child’s attentiveness

– Alternative natural options to increase your child’s focus and concentration

Help kid focus: What does poor concentration look like in children

If you are dealing with a child who is unable to concentrate, then you know what lack of focus and concentration looks like. Your child may:

– Be unable to or struggle to follow through on things (homework, tasks, etc.). A child who lacks concentration is also likely to have mastered the art of procrastination.

– Quickly lose interest in games and activities

– Rarely finish or take too long to finish assignments (you may hear frequent complaints from their teacher about their inattentiveness)

– Constantly need to be stimulated. For example, a child with low focus and concentration may be unable to stay concentrated on one activity for even brief moments and may keep changing activities at dizzying speeds.

– Be a daydreamer

– Be disorganized and unable to find their things

– Be easily distracted. The may set off to do something then end up doing something completely different because they forgot what they were supposed to be doing

– Appear to suffer from memory-loss

– Appear to never put in any effort

– Be unable to remember even the simplest instructions

– Have learning difficulties due to their inability to adapt to the school setting

Starting school is a major transition and although it can be an exciting moment for both your and your child, it is also a moment that has its fair share of challenges.

We now know that how well your child can navigate this transition largely depends on self-regulation. Several studies have found that a child’s ability to develop self-regulation skills determines their ability to create successful social interactions.

Self-regulated learners:

– are better able to resist distractions and remain focused on the task at hand

– demonstrate a higher sense of self-efficacy

– are more likely to be school ready

– have a greater sense of well-being

– encounter greater academic achievement even beyond the childhood years.

Help children focus, follow instructions, keep rules in mind and practice self-control

Adele Diamond, a well-known Professor whose studies have focused on self-regulation, argues that children should be taught to:

1. Develop self-control , i.e., they should learn to do what is appropriate rather than what they want to do.

2. Develop the working memory , i.e., they should be helped to hold information in memory while mentally incorporating new information.

3. Develop cognitive flexibility , i.e., they should learn to think outside the box.

Diamond believes that teaching self-regulation skills can help improve children’s concentration and focus. These skills can help your child learn to follow instructions and persist even when they encounter enormous challenges.

Other studies have found that self-regulated children are able to listen, pay attention, think, then act.

Everything you need to know if your child can’t focus

“My child can’t focus” is a rather common parenting complaint. While a child’s inability to focus is usually a common cause of concern, all children are easily distracted and generally have shorter attention spans than adults.

They are more curious and more easily distracted when they feel little interest for the tasks and activities they are asked to do.

Children’s concentration tends to improve as they grow older and develop their self-control skills .

That said, some children struggle more with focusing and resisting distractions. The problem with children’s lack of attention is that it contributes to their learning and to their day to day lives.

So first let’s look at what may be behind your child’s inability to pay attention.

Some of the common causes of children’s lack of focus and concentration

1) anxiety may be the reason your child can’t focus.

Anxiety is a common but often ignored cause of inattention among children described as “unfocused”, and this actually makes perfect sense.

It is not uncommon for anxiety to “block” your child, meaning that listening to and following instructions may be more complicated for such a child.

Your child’s separation anxiety or worry about doing something wrong at school or even embarrassing or humiliating themselves may mean that they are more likely to have difficulty paying attention.

2) Insufficient sleep has an impact on your child’s ability to concentrate

It is a well-known fact that poor sleeping habits have a negative impact on children’s focus and concentration.

If you think that your child’s lack of sleep may be behind their inability to focus, ensure that they are getting the appropriate number of hours of sleep every night or taking a mid-day rest if they need to.

The sleep foundation recommends that:

– 1 to 2 year olds need 11 to 14 hours of sleep

– 3 to 5 year olds need 10 to 13 hours of sleep

– 6 to 13 year olds need 9 to 11 hours of sleep

– 14 to 17 year olds need 8 to 10 hours of sleep

3) Lack of routines

Routines are very important in childhood because they provide your child with “a certain way of doing things”. A lack of routine brings uncertainty, and this may be responsible for their lack of concentration.

Adopting even a simple routine such as “ as soon as you get home, you take your snack, do your homework for 20 minutes, then watch TV for 20 minutes ” helps give your child a framework than can help reduce their lack of focus.

4) Inappropriate diet

While it is impossible to accurately determine how sugar (candy, sodas, cereals, snacks, etc.) impacts your child’s behavior, we now know that a moderate consumption of sugar is better for children.

This means paying attention to what your child eats and privileging the most natural diets possible and those that are high in fiber and low in sugar.

5) Excessive screen usage may lead to attention problems in children

Although the studies about screen time are inconclusive about “the right amount” and the “real impact” of screens on children, most screen-use researchers agree that too much screen time can have a negative impact on your child’s development.

There have been suggestions that screens overstimulate your child and therefore reduce their ability to focus.

Monitoring your child’s screen use and setting screen-use rules, establishing screen-free zones and forbidding screen use just before bedtime are easy ways that may help reduce their distraction.

It is not uncommon for children who have experienced traumatizing experiences to have a harder time paying attention.

Stressors may include issues such as bullying or peer pressure, major changes affecting the family (divorce, homelessness, changing schools) or even negative thoughts.

Age-appropriate resources can help your child learn to deal with strong emotions and reduce their lack of focus.

The good news is that many self-regulation strategies can be easily applied at home. In other words, each parent has the tools to help increase their child’s focus and concentration. Here’s how you can get started.

18 easy tips to improve your child’s focus, concentration and self-regulation skills

1 | Play Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders

Everyone knows the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song. Turns out it’s a great resource for teaching kids to learn about focus and concentration.

The natural tendency with the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song is to touch the part of the body mentioned. However, research has shown that asking children to do the opposite of what they are told (for example touch their toes when they are asked to touch their head) helps develop their concentration.

2 | Play Simon says

Having trouble with your child’s concentration? Play Simon says. Simon says helps kids concentrate and follow directions and is thus a perfect game to develop self-regulation and concentration skills.

3 | Help your child train their mind to concentrate

The most effective way to improve your child’s concentration is to help them practice. We now know that the mental process of focusing one’s mind on a single activity can be learned.

Games and activities such as puzzles, mazes , find the missing number/object, pattern games, and so on have been proven to boost focus and concentration in children.

Age-appropriate Executive Function Kits are great because they help your child to work on different skills that can help improve not only their concentration, but also other skills such as organization, visual perception, memory retention, and much more.

Here are high-quality Executive Function Kits for children between the ages of four and six, and age-appropriate kits for kids between the ages of seven and nine .

4 | Try the day-night task

The day-night task involves showing a child a card (or picture) and asking them to say the opposite of what is on the card. For example, a child is expected to say “day” when shown a dark card with stars.

This tool has been used for years by researchers to improve children’s concentration.

5 | Propose picture sudoku puzzles

Picture sudoku puzzles are great for kids because they teach them about focus and concentration, help them practice their visual perception skills, and promote balance and harmony.

Picture sudoku puzzles are also an excellent art therapy activity to calm stressed kids and increase concentration. You can get high-quality picture sudoku puzzles here (for kids between the ages of 4 and 6) or here (for kids between the ages of 7 and 9).

6 | Make your child play a more active role 

The more your child feels involved in choosing their activities, the more likely they are to focus and concentrate.

Several researchers have found that asking kids to plan their activities in advance helps increase their interest, concentration and creative skills because it makes them feel personally responsible for managing their time and activities.

Our Executive Function Kits are filled with activities and worksheets to help children play a more active role in planning activities as well as their play time.

7 | Reducing distractions can help increase your child’s concentration

One of the main reasons that explains children’s lack of focus is their inability to resist distractions.

Even the most disciplined adults struggle with distractions sometimes, so it is logical that dealing with distractions can be difficult for your child. Setting aside a specific space without distractions (no screens, silent) can make it easier for them to concentrate.

8 | Adopt a routine

Routines can help increase your child’s concentration by helping them get on a schedule. A predictable routine can help them feel secure, reinforce consistency, and give them a sense of comfort and control over their environment.

For example, scheduling homework for a set time each day and being consistent can help improve their focus.

If your child is struggling with attentiveness, starting homework early and privileging short homework sessions every day, at a set time, can be more effective in helping tackle inattentiveness.

9 | Encourage make-believe play

Many researchers and educationists argue that intentional make-believe play is an important aspect of learning. It is a central element in children’s cognitive development

Charles Schaefer, the play therapy expert, argues that role-playing helps a child learn to think ahead and reflect on appropriate responses to frustrating situations.

When kids engage in role-playing, they are more thoughtful, flexible and creative in the face of everyday problems.

10 | Encouraging your child to participate in household chores can help increase concentration

Science says doing chores is good for your kids. Some of the benefits associated with chores include:

– Better social, emotional and academic outcomes

– An increase in your child’s sense of worth and confidence

– Increased autonomy and self-reliance

– The development of important skills such as responsibility, self-reliance and accountability

Simple tasks that show your child that they are capable of success reinforce their ability to concentrate. The more your child feels confident in their ability to achieve expectations, the easier it will be for them to focus.

Letting them choose the tasks to perform also makes it more likely for them to follow through. Here are 70 age-appropriate chore cards to encourage your child to begin or continue doing household chores.

11 | Encourage your child to read

Reading can help develop your child’s focus and concentration skills because it requires their brain to focus on both the words and the story line.

Good children’s books captivate them, open up their world, and are presented in an age-appropriate manner (number of difficult words, use of colors and illustrations, etc.).

Talk to your local librarian if you are unsure about a great book that would suit your child. Or subscribe to a book box (this is a great gift idea) and let your child receive age-appropriate books according to a schedule that you feel is right for you.

The  award-winning Bookroo Box  and  The Reading Bug Box  are great subscriptions if this is something you want to try out.

12 | Try play planning

Play planning involves asking kids to determine what they would like to do (or will do) during a specific moment (for instance when they are bored).

This can be achieved by asking them to draw a picture or write about what they will do at that particular moment.

This tool gives you the resources you need to help even the youngest kids practise play planning.

13 | Play the freeze game

The freeze game was successfully used by McClelland and Tominey in a study to develop children’s concentration. The freeze game involves asking everyone to dance to music and then freeze when the music stops.

You can also ask your child to dance slowly to slow songs and quickly to fast songs. When this is mastered, ask them to dance slowly when fast songs are played, and quickly when slow songs are played.

The Freeze game teaches your child to listen attentively and to follow instructions.

14 | Focus on positive behavior

The more you focus on your child’s positive behavior, the more likely they are to repeat that behavior. Setting simple concentration goals that they can achieve and then reinforcing positive behavior can help improve their focus and concentration.

That said, positive reinforcement used the wrong way can cause more harm than good.

The Positive Behavior Kit gives you a step-by-step approach to using positive reinforcement appropriately in order to reduce specific negative behavior.

It outlines the pitfalls to avoid and gives you practical tips to avoid turning this discipline strategy into some form of “bribery”.

15 | Avoiding multiple instructions can reduce your child’s difficulty with concentration

Kids struggling with concentration often have a harder time processing information. The more your child receives multiple instructions, the harder it will be for them to follow through.

Breaking down instructions can therefore make it easier for them to understand expectations. Asking them to repeat what they have understood can also make it easier to keep focused.

Simple questions such as “ What will you do first? And then? What will you do next? ” can also help them get a good mental picture of what they are expected to do.

16 | Use a timer

A timer is a great tool to help your child keep track of how long they can stay focused. You can use it for homework or for any other tasks, and slightly increase the time set as they get better with focus and concentration.

17 | Help your child practice mindfulness

Several studies have shown that mindfulness can help children learn to keep still and focused. For instance, one study found that teaching seven- to eight-year-olds breathing exercises greatly reduced their anxiety levels and increased their focus.

Some easy ways to get started include encouraging your child to practice deep breathing, practicing walking meditation, or even using safe and age-appropriate essential oils .

18 | Be receptive to your child’s needs

Different people need different environments to concentrate. Some require calm and others can only concentrate if they can hear some background noise. Identifying what works best for your child can help reduce their inattentiveness.

Using toys to help children focus

Some toys can prove helpful if your child is struggling with attention problems. Here are two categories of toys that may help increase their concentration.

Remember that not all kids will respond to the same strategies, and not all toys or tools will have the same impact on your child. The best strategy is to test different tools and see which one is best able to help your child focus and concentrate.

Category 1: Fidget toys

Fidget toys help children concentrate by keeping their hands busy and therefore allowing them to focus on something else. It is important to avoid trends and to choose appropriate fidget toys to increase your child’s concentration.

Many positive things and many negative things have been said about fidgets. The truth is, fidgets are good at helping kids focus, but only if those kids need them.

In other words, if your child is not struggling with issues such as lack of concentration or anxiety, then a fidget toy may actually distract them.

The good news is that fidgets can help your child become more focused, but the bad news is that there are so may fidgets out there, it may be difficult choosing a quality fidget toy that doesn’t actually distract your child (for example too visually stimulating).

Below are ten examples of good (and classroom-friendly) fidget toys you may want to check out:

1) A fidget spinner

This Metal Fidget Spinner is a solidly built and attractive spinner that will help occupy your child’s hands. If you prefer a different fidget spinner, Innoplus has several other designs that might catch your eye or you can get a pack of a few fidget spinners to keep on hand.

2) A fidget band

If your child finds it difficult to keep their feet still, a fidget band that you can attach to their chair or desk can help keep their feet busy and therefore allow them to concentrate on the task at hand.

3) Focusing putty

Focusing putty is great for kids who need to squeeze things to reduce their stress.

4) Bubble pop fidgets

I bet you’ve already noticed these latest fidgets that are great for keeping your child’s hands busy!

5) Marble Fidgets

I love Marble Fidgets because of their size which means that your child can take them absolutely everywhere!

6) Infinity cube

The infinity cube has eight small cubes that your child can rotate from any direction and any angle. It’s small, not too heavy, and is suitable for kids from age eight. The JOEYANK Fidget Cube is more durable, but plastic models also exist.  

7) Tangle toys

Tangle toys are simple but effective fidget toys that will keep your child’s hands busy and help them focus on the task at hand.

8) Monkey noodles

Your child can do absolutely anything with Monkey Noodles – stretch them, pull them, squeeze them, wrap them… What’s more, they are strong, safe and durable!

9) The smiley stretchy men

If you’re looking for a small fidget toy your child can take anywhere, then the smiley stretchy men are for you, and your child can use them from age three.

Other great fidgets your kid can put in their pocket include keychain bubble wrap pop fidgets and Fidget Bean Toy s.

10) Squishy balls

Squishy balls are great for reducing stress and keeping your child hands busy. They can also take them everywhere!

Category 2 – Focus games

Certain games can help your child improve their focus and concentration skills. Any game that can help them pay attention to small details, spot hidden objects, think, plan and use their memory are great options to help them become more attentive.

There’s no need to worry if they seem to struggle when you first begin – they more you play, the more accurate they should get!

Here are a few good games that may help with your child’s focus

1) Where’s Wally?

This activity book will provide your child with hours of fun and help them work on their concentration as they try to spot hidden objects.

2) Jigsaw puzzles

Puzzles are good toys for helping children learn to focus and concentrate, but not if they are too difficult for your child. Start will small puzzles or large puzzles , and don’t hesitate to help if your child is looking frustrated.

3) Memory card games

Memory games can help improve your child’s attentiveness by teaching them about focus and concentration.

How the game works

1) Get memory cards and ensure that there are only matching pairs.

2) Shuffle the cards and place them face down.

3) Each player picks any two cards. If the cards match, they keep them and take another turn. If the cards don’t match, they place them back exactly where they were. 4) The person who matched the most pairs wins.

Memory card games are great for developing your child’s focus and concentration because they force them to pay attention to remember where they last saw the images. Here are colorful and high-quality printable memory cards that your child will enjoy.

4) The Perplexus Rookie

If you’re looking for a great gift idea for a child who need help concentrating, The Perplexus Rookie is the toy for you. It has obstacles that your child must overcome and they must plan ahead and manipulate the sphere with care to achieve the end goal.

Jenga is a classic game that is also a great gift idea for a child struggling with attention. Your child is expected to pull out a block without crashing the stack. This is also a fun game to play as a family but your child can also play by themselves.

6) Hidden Pictures Scratch Art Book

Melissa and Doug’s hidden picture scratch art books are great tools to help boost your child’s concentration power and you have so many options to choose from!

They are also great for developing their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

7) Rory’s Story Cubes

These educational story cubes provide endless opportunities for your child’s imagination and creativity and would also make a perfect gift.

Your child rolls the dice then has to make a story using the pictures from the dice. And the best part is that you have different styles so you’ll be able to find something if your kid is a Harry Potter fan, a “Heroes” fan, a “Mysteries” fan…

8) Pop and catch games

Pop and catch games use movement to help your child focus. They are expected to focus on the ball to catch it before it hits the ground. You can also try this game sitting down if it is too difficult for your child when they first begin.

9) Spot it!

Who doesn’t love Spot It! ? This game is great for helping your child improve their visual attention and learn to disregard distractions. Better still, the entire family will enjoy playing it!

Alternative natural options to help kids focus

1) natural supplements.

While undertaking the research on improving children’s focus and attention, I came across parents who spoke of amazing improvement in their kids’ attention after using natural focus supplements.

Here are a few supplements you can check out. Don’t forget to read the reviews to see what other parents think:

2) Essential oils

Not all essential oils are safe to use with kids. I have spoken in length about the precautions to take when using these oils with kids. That said, certain essential oils, used the right way, can help your kid calm down and can also boost their focus and attention.

If you are already an essential-oil fan or want to try using essential oils to help boost your child’s attentiveness, here are a few ready-made 100% pure blends you can start with:

Remember you can also easily make your own recipes using kid-friendly essential oils.

Should you worry about your child’s inability to focus and concentrate?

Most focus and attention problems in childhood tend to get better as your child grows older and develops their self-control and self-regulation skills.

However, for some parents, child inattention issues are more of a long-term than a short-term challenge. Here are a few of the learning difficulties associated with inattention in children:

ADHD – One of the most common symptoms of ADHD is the inability to regulate one’s attention span. If your child has the inattentive type of ADHD, they are more likely to struggle with focus and concentration.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder – If your child has this disorder, they will be focused on other things that prevent them from paying attention to what is going on around them.

For example, in a classroom situation, such a child may pay more attention to lining up all their pens and pencils on their desk and therefore will appear as a child unable to pay attention.

Other learning disorders – learning disorders mean that your child’s brain doesn’t process information quite in the same way as other children. They are therefore more likely to have trouble with focus because they feel unable to achieve what other kids can.

While they may be viewed as “easily distracted”, their behavior may be an attempt to cover up their frustration and embarrassment at “not being good enough”.

Hearing problems – A child with auditory processing problems may be mistaken for a child lacking focus. If your child cannot hear instructions, it is normal that they will be unable to follow through on those instructions.

Lack of attention and focus has a direct impact on how your child learns and develops. If your child is finding it hard to concentrate, please discuss your concerns with your family doctor who will point you in the right direction.

It may also be helpful to consult with your child’s teacher to better understand their attention and concentration level at school.

When your child won’t focus in school

Unfortunately, your child’s inability to focus in school has a direct impact on what and how they learn. The first step if you are concerned about their trouble with focus is to have a discussion with their teacher. Teachers can provide solutions such as:

• Reduce distractions within the classroom: For example, the teacher can change their sitting position to ensure that they can keep their eye on your child or keep them away from classmates who are likely to distract them (or even away from windows!)
• Ensure that your child has understood instructions before beginning a task
• Provide assistance.

Scientific resources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17605527

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7805351

http://people.oregonstate.edu/~mcclellm/ms/Ponitz_McClelland_Matthews_Morrison_DP09.pdf

http://www.unco.edu/cebs/psychology/kevinpugh/motivation_project/resources/dweck_leggett88.pdf

https://self-regulationintheclassroom.wikispaces.com/file/view/Perry+mentoring+student+teachers+for+srl.pdf

http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1994-98882-000https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21898897

<a href=”http://selz.co/4JyaZp-5M” target=”_blank”>Buy now</a>

About Sanya Pelini, Ph.D.

Sanya Pelini holds a Ph.D. in Education. Her work has been published on Motherly, ParentMap, The Goffman Institute and Psych Central, among others. She lives in the south of France with her husband and three children.

Reader Interactions

March 29, 2023 at 11:50 pm

What an excellent array of techniques and suggestions!Thank you!

March 31, 2023 at 7:37 am

Thank you for your lovely comment 🙂

January 27, 2023 at 12:02 pm

January 27, 2023 at 3:13 pm

Thank you 🙂

August 9, 2021 at 3:35 pm

These are so many great ideas in one place. I would like to share in my weekly column (SUPPORTING SUPER STUDENTS) giving parents ideas about how to help their child focus as they prepare their children for school. I cite the source of my information in my column. So, I ask your permission to direct parents to your website. Thank you in advance.

August 9, 2021 at 4:19 pm

Thank you for your lovely comment. I’d be honored to have my article about improving children’s focus and concentration cited in your column 🙂

February 8, 2021 at 11:38 pm

This worked as a nice primer for someone like me who entered a relationship involving kids and silently asking myself why a 8&9 yr old can’t just “act more like adults” knowing that is unfair to them but wanting to better understand myself.

February 15, 2021 at 2:53 pm

This is such a lovely comment – and so true – we often forget that kids aren’t adults. Thank you Michael

March 18, 2020 at 5:23 pm

II thought it was so fun that you suggested playing Simon says with your child since it can help them develop self-regulation, as well as coloring mandalas to help them destress. I am now a stay-at-home mom and want to find ways to interact with and help my 4-year-old grow. I’d love to find a child health book with more activities like these for us to do together.

October 10, 2019 at 11:59 am

Outstanding and revealing….!!! About to go on an adventure with these…already… Thanks a lot.

October 10, 2019 at 4:14 pm

Thanks Ahmad. Glad you appreciate these tips on increasing your child’s focus and concentration 🙂

August 14, 2019 at 4:51 pm

Valuable information

August 17, 2019 at 11:02 pm

I appreciate the comments!

January 6, 2019 at 1:56 am

Thank you very much! My 7 y.o. son has problems concentrating. I will definitely try your suggestions! Again, thank you.

January 6, 2019 at 7:50 pm

So glad you found it helpful 🙂

August 9, 2018 at 1:37 pm

Thanks for sharing such a helpful article. Really story telling is a very effective way to to develop concentration among children.

August 13, 2018 at 7:19 am

Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Affiliate disclosure

Legal mention

Privacy policy

Recent Posts

• The Surprising Effects of Negative Discipline on Kids (and a Better Approach to Try)
• 20 Activities to Do With a 9-Month-Old Baby
• Science says this one thing alone can improve your teen’s emotional well-being
• 10 signs of anxiety that are often mistaken for something else
• Why every child needs to connect with nature every day, regardless of their environment

As an  Amazon Associate , I earn from qualifying purchases.

This blog doesn’t offer professional advice. It is written and edited by me. It may contain affiliate links. Click  here  to read the full disclosure.

Privacy Overview

A Fine Parent

A Life Skills Blog Exclusively For Parents

9 Simple Tips for Teaching Kids How to Focus on Homework

by Cate Scolnik . (This article is part of the Positive Parenting FAQ series. Get free article updates here .)

Five minutes into my daughter starting it, she’s asked 4 irrelevant questions and walked across the room twice – for no reason .

She had a break when she first got in from school, and had a snack. Then we agreed to a little outside time before starting homework.

She’s got the book open and a pencil in her hand, but that’s the sum total of her achievement so far.

Her mind doesn’t seem to want to sit still – preferring to bounce all around the place. It’s like her mind is a magnet, and when it’s put near homework, it repels away from it.

When she was 5, I thought she would grow out of it; but at 8 years old I was beginning to worry.

As someone who likes to get in and get things done, it drives me nuts .

Don’t get me wrong, I love my daughter dearly. But the way she gets distracted every 5 minutes during homework time is enough to make anyone go crazy.

She’s highly intelligent, has loads of positive energy and is warm and engaging. She can focus long and hard on anything she is interested in. But getting her to focus on homework she isn’t keen on? Damn near impossible.

I just couldn’t sustain parenting positively unless I got this under control. I wanted to take some action.

At one point when her distraction was driving me nuts, I had started to wonder if I should get her tested for attention deficit disorder (ADD). My research on this topic led me to discover some behavioral techniques used with ADD kids, that are also applicable to any child having difficulty focusing.

I decided to try them for teaching my daughter how to focus on homework. Some worked better than others but overall it has been a great success. Here are the ones that worked for us –

#1 Keep It Short

When it came to doing homework, we kept it short and broke it down. Generally, that meant one ten-minute stint a day, instead of one 30-40 minute block each week.

Each time she wandered off task (mentally or physically), I would gently guide her back to the homework.

I kept the focus light and pointed out the fun parts of her work. And I bit down hard on my tongue every time I felt like screaming “If you just stuck to the task and focused you could be done already!”

#2 Use A Timer

So, if I estimated a task could be completed in about 2 minutes, I’d set the timer for 5 minutes. Each time she started chatting about something, I’d say something like “I hope you beat the timer!” or “Don’t forget – you want to beat the timer!”

#3 Wear Them Out

My daughter has loads of physical energy, so I made sure she got lots of exercise . Even now she needs to do lots of running around, or physical activity to wear her out a bit.

I’m not talking about making her run a marathon every day. Just encouraging and supporting her to move her body.

I worked with her natural rhythms as much as possible. I realized she had more energy in the afternoon, so we often went on outings in the morning.

If she’d been to school for the day and we were going to spend a few minutes on homework, I’d encourage her to go and jump her jiggles out on the trampoline before we sat down to focus.

#4 Kept It Positive

I focused on her positive outcomes as much as possible. Whenever she breezed through an activity I would give her positive feedback .

“Look how quickly you finished writing out your words! You stayed focused and you finished that in no time. Well done!”

We’d always start homework early and allow extra time to get things done, so I had to be organized and plan ahead. This meant I could sometimes say, “Wow! You finished your homework the day before it’s due. Great effort!”

If we’d been working on a homework task for a long time and she was just getting less and less focused, I’d call a stop to it. When a five-minute task is only half done after 25 minutes, and there’s no momentum, there really isn’t any point continuing.

This is a tricky one, and I didn’t use it often. She’s a bright girl and she knew she hadn’t finished what she set out to do that day. But if we kept trying and getting nowhere, we would both become very frustrated and dejected – no good ever comes out of that.

So, I’d suggest we leave it for now and come back to the task when we were fresher. This way she wasn’t failing, it just wasn’t the right time.

#6 Eat More Fish

Crazy as it might sound, eating more fish or taking fish oil supplements , is apparently helpful.

Now, I’m not a nutritionist and I understand that the fish oil theory is unproven. But there seems to be research to support the fact that fish oil high in EPA (rather than DHA) can help improve focus.

I figured it was something that couldn’t hurt, so I did it. It seemed to me that each time her fish oil consumption dipped, she became less focused.

I’ve no real evidence to support that – it may just be in my head. 😉

#7 Encourage Self-Management

The Tools of the Mind program produces brighter children who are classified as gifted more often, but more importantly, it also produces kids with better behavior, greater focus and control.

Classes involve role play and each child creates their own detailed plan of their part. If a child gets off track, the teacher refers them back to their plan.

One of the ways the program helps is through encouraging planning and time management by setting weekly goals. This helps to wire up the part of the brain responsible for maintaining concentration and setting goals.

The Tools of the Mind philosophy is that every child can become a successful learner, with the right support. Children learn by using the skills they currently have – such as drawing and play. They think through their play plan, then draw a detailed record of it, then carry it out.

Using their skills in this way teaches children to set achievable goals, work out how to reach them, and stay on track. They learn they can be responsible for their own outcomes. We’ve been using this to teach my daughter self-management .

#8 Work Together

My daughter is nearly eleven now and has matured a lot over the last year. And I’ve just started using self-management techniques to help her set goals and plan how she’ll achieve them.

Earlier this year she said she really wanted to improve her grades, which I said was a great goal. Then she said she wanted to be involved in band, which means taking some band lessons in class time.

I asked her to plan how she intended to achieve both goals, given she has other extra-curricular activities she wants to keep up.

She created a plan to practice her instrument regularly and do more homework than she has previously. We’re at week 7 of our school year here in Australia, and so far she’s on track.

She dives into homework without being reminded and gets it done early. She’s also completing homework tasks to a higher standard, rather than madly (and messily) rushing through them .

Since starting band she’s been practicing twice a day, every day – without being asked. I know that if she loses momentum, or strays off track, I can direct her back to her own plan.

#9 Understand The Scale

We all have different strengths and weaknesses. And attention and focus can vary wildly, particularly in the early years.

It partly depends on the environment, and partly the child.

Try and take the pressure off, and work with your child’s strengths.

Break tasks down and keep them fun.

Aim for a balance between physical and mental focus, and remember it’s OK to give up if the timing isn’t right.

Have realistic expectations, and know that your child’s focus will improve with age.

Don’t be scared to quit when things really are not working. Not doing a perfect job on the homework once in a while is not the end of the world. If it comes to a choice between quitting for the moment or screaming and yelling at your kids through the task, choose love and call it quits.

And finally, hang in there. It’s all going to be OK.

The 2-Minute Action Plan for Fine Parents

Take a moment to consider your child’s behavior.

• How does it compare to other children? Either their siblings or a number of other kids of a similar age? (Try to compare them with a range of other kids – rather than one or two)
• Does your child seem to have age-appropriate behavior and focus? If you’re concerned, do you need to seek help?
• How can you start breaking down big tasks into manageable (snack-sized) sections?
• Is your child able to focus on things they like doing? Can you use that in your favor?
• Are your kids distracted by things that could be controlled?
• What strategies can you put in place to keep your kids focus?

The Ongoing Action Plan for Fine Parents

• Brainstorm some roles that you can use to elicit certain behavior. If you need your child to be quiet and still for a few minutes, what can they pretend to be? A King or Queen on a throne? A soldier on guard? Good posture during homework is a good idea, but if the only way to get your child to do it without a fuss is to let them pretend to sit on a throne or stand at attention, go for it!
• Think back over the things that your child struggles to focus on. How can you get them to use self-management techniques to improve?
• If it seems impossible to get your child to focus and pay attention ask yourself this: “If it were possible, how would it be achieved?” Make some notes.
• Take a moment to check out why Tools of the Mind works so well and think about how you might use their strategies at home.

About Cate Scolnik

Cate is on a mission to help parents stop yelling and create families that listen to each other. She does this while imperfectly parenting two boisterous girls of her own and learning from her mistakes. Download her free Cheat Sheet to Get Your Kids from "No" to "Yes" in Three Simple Steps and reduce your yelling today.

May 16, 2016 at 6:21 am

This is a great article and there is some mention of it but I feel it has to be emphasized- that no homework should ever trump connection with your child. If homework struggles are causing you to butt heads time to re-think! Your child needs you in their side ALWAYS, there have long difficult days in School where social interactions and the system challenge their resources all day long. The need to come home to an ally. Here in Canada we are seeing tons of research that shows that homework before high school produces little increase in assessment scores – I imagine education philosophy will move toward reducing or almost eliminating primary homework! So don’t sacrifice your living connected relationship at home iver homework

May 16, 2016 at 2:35 pm

Totally agree with you on the point that “no homework should ever trump connection with your child”, Kim.

I’ve read some of the research about homework, but I’m not entirely convinced. To me, even if homework does little to increase assessment scores, it builds the habit and discipline of getting things done on your own outside the classroom… So IMO there is some merit to it. The question for me is more of how to teach our kids to focus and build this habit in a kind and gentle manner without butting heads…

May 16, 2016 at 11:29 pm

You’re right that we shouldn’t let homework damage relationships. I’m fortunate that our school has homework as an optional thing, but we do opt in. Like Sumitha, I think it’s more about getting a routine established.

Thanks for your comment. 😉

May 10, 2017 at 3:50 pm

Agree with #Cate. I asked school to increase the home work for my daughter to help her develop the habit of focus, responsibility, self – discipline and also prepare them for high school where they should not get shocked with the name of home work thinking it as a monster.

Apart from this, these tips are life saving and work word by word. Thank you so much for sharing and I liked these so much that I shared the page with my facebook friends.

May 16, 2016 at 1:35 pm

My child’s PRE-SCHOOL had homework. It was age-appropriate (“Color the baby chicks yellow”) but surprise, surprise–my daughter didn’t want to do it. She wanted to run around the playground and then jump on the sofa. I mentioned this to another parent (of a typically developing child) and she said, “Oh, we don’t do the homework. It’s not developmentally appropriate at this age.” Boy, did my life improve when I followed her advice and ignored the homework! I told the school, nicely, that I got home from work too late in the evening to do homework. And that was the end of it! Now, in elementary school, we don’t do the homework every night. It is BORING (math worksheets) and turns her off to everything related to school!

May 16, 2016 at 2:42 pm

Wendy, homework in preschool is probably pushing it too much… but as kids grow older, I do believe there is some merit to homework in terms of building habits and discipline of doing things on your own outside the classroom and being accountable for something that is assigned to you.

I personally feel that telling kids you don’t have to do something because it is boring sends the wrong message (listening to any grownup is boring for a kid… so if they can skip doing homework because it is boring, why not also skip listening to what grownups tell them?) To me, building the habits of accountability and sticking to a task even if it is sometimes boring and learning tricks to focus even when you sometimes don’t want to are important life skills… Homework is one of the ways to do this, and I would rather look for kind and gentle ways to do this than give up on homework entirely.

June 29, 2024 at 8:25 pm

I teach at a local nursery in order to have something to do. In addition I give them two tasks each week. For example a upcoming task will involve pumpkins. They recently as a entire preschool class painted a picture of a sunflower. They are little so I do the research for them instead. In the past we have focused on music, gardening and cooking. Best wishes. Planning a October visit to a pumpkin patch.

We also once did baking. From time to time we study animals and learn about other people. If it is hot we either do gardening or ride child friendly bikes. Recently we have gone on picnics and tried tennis. Each task has a theme. Drawing is fun.

Considering a museum trip and so on. In terms of future tasks, I’m planning one that is wholly based on Halloween. I’ve also got a idea for Christmas. Other activities include pond dipping and farm outings. Yet more such fun activities in consideration will involve poster design and card making. I’m keen on easy sports like table tennis. I believe that they have a sports day. Have a nice day.

Last week I decided on a whim to try sand art and water play. I also want to teach them to cook. Two weeks before we rode bikes and assisted in the garden at the nursery. Once or twice a day we do singing and reading in question. I’m also keen on classic board games and stencilling. I want to try out new activities like pottery and face painting. We do a lot of reading. I love origami.

Bingo wouldn’t fail either. They have never played simple games like Monopoly Deal or Scrabble. Additionally I love the idea of introducing them to other classic games. We have previously tried creative writing and poetry. I really do like to focus on basic skill development as far as possible. This includes story telling and independence building. For example making friends and being healthy.

Snap is cool. So is making fresh lemonade and the like. I’ve never tried either activity. I love to play UNO. Coding is hard work. One day in the near future I’m organising a class trip to a library and a zoo. In the past I’ve shown them how to use a shape sorter toy and puppets. We use the puppets to tell a simple story. And we have a sensory room.

May 16, 2016 at 7:49 pm

I don’t believe in most homework and glad it’s not generally a part of Montessori. At my kids’ school they don’t start handing out homework until 4th grade, and even then it’s a packet they have all week to complete so they can choose their own pace for finishing it. I like that no homework leaves time for other things like piano and violin and volleyball and Latin, not to mention the chance for my kids to help me cook, etc. When my oldest got to the adolescent program and we started to struggle with homework, we realized in her case the best approach was to back off and leave her to fail or succeed on her own. I think for many children there is much more value in unstructured time to play and explore. They have to be disciplined at school all day. I don’t see why they have to extend that into home time. I love watching my kids come up with their own projects which are often far more interesting than anything a teacher would send home as an assignment. Most homework is busy work. Life is too short for that.

May 16, 2016 at 9:20 pm

If the homework was long and unending, I would likely agree with you (at least to a certain extent ;)), Korinthia. Fortunately, my daughter’s home work assignments usually take just 10 – 15 minutes which she actually finishes up in school. It is busy work, but it reinforces the facts that she has learnt that day in school. Her teacher’s take is that it helps her gauge if the kids are grasping what they learn, and lets her know if she should repeat any concepts or slow down the pace etc. I love that idea of using homework (and tests) as a feedback loop. Her school also specifically tells parent not to get involved unless the child asks for clarifications. This also helps the homework serve as a mini-token of responsibility and self-management… which is all good in my book.

I love how every time this discussion comes up, we come at it from such opposite perspectives 🙂

May 16, 2016 at 10:14 pm

I think one of the trickiest things in parenting is realizing people can do the opposite of what you do and still not be wrong. We’re all so vulnerable in this area that people get defensive fast! I love that you are so thoughtful with every response, and that there is more than one way to be right. And I keep coming back here because I feel it’s a safe place to voice a different perspective without people taking it as a challenge to their own parenting decisions. That’s a rare and wonderful thing and you should be proud of this site. (For that and many reasons!)

May 16, 2016 at 10:23 pm

Thanks, Korinthia. I needed to hear that today (for a reason unrelated to this site and the comments here). And of course I lapped up the compliments about the site too. I never tire of that 🙂

And you stretch my thinking more than anyone I know and I learnt a lot about writing responses from studying your responses… so thanks right back at ya!

May 16, 2016 at 11:35 pm

Hi Korintha,

You’re right that we can use homework as a valuable learning experience. For years my older daughter (now 11) has ‘hoped’ for straight As, but hasn’t achieved them. She’s getting better for years she did the bare minimum with homework, and did it rather … messily too! While I don’t push her too much, I do make the point that A grades are the result of hard work. They’re achievable for anyone who puts in the effort – including her. But getting As means you’ve done the best you possible can, almost all the time.

It doesn’t stop her hoping every time her report comes home, but she knows she can set goals and strive to meet them (they’re just usually in non-academic areas!).

Anyway, your point about homework being a mutli-faceted learning opportunity is a great one. 😉

May 17, 2016 at 7:27 am

Grades are a weird measure of things, though, because they aren’t universal. Does getting an A mean it’s the best you as an individual can do, even if it’s not great? Does getting an A mean there is some objective level of excellence that few people can reach? Does getting an A mean the grade was on a curve and you are simply the best in this particular crowd? A’s on a single report card can mean all of those things or none of them.

I remember in college I was upset one semester because my perfect 4.0 was marred by a B in tennis which I was simply taking for fun. I felt I should get an A for showing up and doing my best every time. Apparently the teacher had a different measure. And how do you grade music (which was my major)? One person can play every note perfectly and leave you feeling cold with their performance, and another can make mistakes but be electrifying. In orchestra it was pure participation–you started with an A and every class you missed you went down one letter grade. The A says nothing about if you did well or even improved. (You could get worse and still get an A.) When I was in 6th grade I used to alternate between A’s and failing grades in reading based on if I handed in the book reports. Those grades said nothing about my reading ability.

Grades do say something, but I’m skeptical about what. And every time I get worried about grades I remember my grandma telling me that nobody ever asked her her GPA once she graduated. No one has ever asked me mine, either. People only care what I can actually do, and that I try to prove every day, and that’s what I tell my kids to aim for. They may or may not get the grades they deserve to reflect that, but they need to mentally grade themselves to stay honest.

May 20, 2016 at 8:19 pm

Your points are spot on, as always. Grades are an arbitrary measure.

I think it’s far more important that my daughter is satisfied that she’s done her best, and that she’s proud of her efforts. Having said that, I do think it’s useful to learn that you can set goals and strive towards them.

Arbitrary or not, we spend most of our lives being assessed. Either at school or university or in the workplace. It’s usually one person’s opinion of certain traits or activities, and it’s often arbitrary.

Whilst I’ve certainly been the victim of a manager who’s had their own agenda – and rated me accordingly – I think that’s the exception. I also think it’s important that my kids feel that they have some control over the assessment. If they put in greater time and effort, they will usually get greater results.

It’s important to know that grades and assessments are only one person’s opinion and that they may be flawed. That is, we need to keep it in perspective. But given we’ll have these assessments throughout our lives, we need to learn to feel we have some control over them and we need to learn how to handle them. How to digest them, how to cope with them, and how to use them too.

It’s a complicated, complex, multi-faceted issue! And I certainly appreciate your perspective. Thanks for commenting 😉

June 29, 2024 at 8:44 pm

I played table tennis once a week in order to keep fit. I also had to assist with the gardening and cooking. At only five years old I had to learn five new simple numbers and words each week. At Christmas we went to a local church. There were many family beach picnics. Best wishes. My parents loved to recite four line poems each night at bedtime.

As a entire family we played table tennis early on a Saturday afternoon once a week. I was expected to know first aid and learn how to fix a broken down car. Once a year we grew a pumpkin at home. On the warm beach we sang and read storybooks. And we went on Sunday nature walks. I even did the food shop and mastered the rather basic one times table in addition. I learnt how to cook, prepare a hot cocoa plus make the beds.

On a weekly trip to a farm shop at a nearby garden centre I had to count up or down in fives. I had a short numbered list of things to buy. I had to teach myself to play the guitar and how to use a camera. That was fun.

At home I washed the car and babysat at church. Other activities and skills included washing up and making bookmarks. On family days out we soaked up the sun on a cycling trip or a walk. We did woodland walks. I learned how to prepare a entire tray of scones and tasty biscuits. I also discovered how to make cakes and identify the trees and flowers.

May 17, 2016 at 4:28 pm

Thanks for this article! We are in our last week of kindergarten homework before the summer hits. That first sentence! So funny and spot on. Like “where are you going sit back down!” I find my self saying frequently. My son gets a packet of homework on Monday that he has to complete and turn in by Friday. I like the idea of using the timer! I’m not sure about play before homework.. I see the need for a break. My issue is that after eating and a play break its already so late then he’s not focused because he’s just getting tired. Also other than getting a 5 year old to focus on homework is doing the homework correctly. He will speed through it sometimes brag about how many pages he completed but he sometimes just writes down whatever to make it look like its complete! This has been driving me crazy, I have to erase so much! I’m trying to find the balance between getting him to work independently and me sitting there for every question. They do homework time in after school too and this is also when he makes it look like he’s doing homework and sometimes just draws pictures on the back of his homework pages. I think the amount of homework for kindergarten is a bit much, but I don’t think that not doing it is an option. I want to encourage him and be proud of him for completing his homework and also try to only let him play on the tablet after the whole packet is done… which also kinda leads to him speeding through it. Ugh and this is just year ONE! OMG!

May 18, 2016 at 3:57 am

Hi Amber, You’re right – you need to find what works for you. And if your kids are in after school care, it’s a bit too late to get them to concentrate when you get home. When I get my kids home it’s nearly 6pm, and there’s no way I can get them to focus on homework.

I’m lucky that I have two days a week where I don’t work late, so they are our ‘homework days’. The other option for us is to do a few minutes in the morning, before school, when the girls are fresh. Of course, this depends on what mornings look like in your house.

You say you want to be proud of him, but it’s also important that he’s proud of himself. That’s why I often ask my girls if they’re proud of their homework. It’s a great technique to get them to reflect on their efforts. 🙂

January 23, 2018 at 9:41 pm

Thanks for the tips for getting kids to do homework better. My son struggles with math, and he never wants to do his homework. I really like your idea to set a timer. That way, he knows exactly how long he needs to work before he can take a break to play. We will definitely give this a try.

April 7, 2018 at 9:49 am

Yes!! I totally agree with Korinthia! I have 5 kids from high school to a 2 yr. Old and it frustrates us as a family when we cannot take a walk, go out and play, or do any sports or extracurricular activity or even help with dinner because they have so much homework! How can kids get their 60 min. Of physical activity or eat healthier or spend time with family if we barely have time to eat a rushed meal to do homework? Including on weekends and vacation!

July 16, 2018 at 6:07 am

Homework is one word that makes every school child – and many parents – cringe. Follow these handy tips, and soon, homework related tension will become a thing of the past. https://www.parentcircle.com/article/exclusive-tips-to-make-homework-easy-for-your-child/

August 8, 2018 at 3:21 am

Awesome post!!! Homework is very important for students to get great results in academic. It is also essential to complete your homework on time. Thanks for sharing this information.

September 4, 2018 at 12:25 am

Good tips and very informative. Homework is a very important thing to get good grades n academic. Today, Focus on Homework is very essential. So, Students must do homework on time.

June 24, 2019 at 6:52 pm

October 15, 2019 at 7:55 am

It’s really useful tips for many parents and their kids. I think that right focus on homework is an important part to stay productive for a whole year in school.

January 7, 2020 at 11:13 am

Learning to focus is extremely important especially with the distractions that surrounds us in today’s world. Your article has been tremendously helpful and I am grateful so Thank you for sharing .

September 30, 2020 at 5:13 am

Nice!! I agree with the fine parent/this website.I tried all of them and almost all of them worked.Keep it up.👍👌👋

January 14, 2022 at 6:55 am

Nice tips, I’ll be sure to remember them. So I can try them out when I become a parent. Or I could just tell some parents around me.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Looking for Something Specific? Search Here…

5 ways to help your child focus (based on science!)

by: Carol Lloyd | Updated: September 23, 2024

Print article

Many young children have trouble sitting still and staying focused. Even older kids can sometimes struggle after a long day at school. If you’re having trouble getting your child to start their homework or stay focused at school, try these tips.

Ways to help your child settle down and concentrate

Get the ya-yas out first (aka exercise), turn off screens and cell phones, make a to-do list, use signals, take breaks.

Homes Nearby

Homes for rent and sale near schools

The best way to study for tests, according to science

4 things that make kids more likely to succeed

40 up-and-coming careers that don’t require a 4-year college degree (and 9 to avoid)

42 up-and-coming careers that don’t require a 4-year college degree (and 10 to avoid)

Yes! Sign me up for updates relevant to my child's grade.

Please enter a valid email address

Thank you for signing up!

Server Issue: Please try again later. Sorry for the inconvenience

10 Proven Ways to Help Your Child Focus

By: Author Dr. Patrick Capriola

Posted on Published: January 7, 2019

Kids are naturally curious and want to explore the world around them. In doing so, they may bounce around a bit. As they grow we want them to improve their ability to focus on a topic or an activity so they can learn to develop their analytical ability and executive functioning.

How do you help your child focus? Understand the big ideas that drive your daily practices. Screen time should be minimal, give them plenty of rest, they should have hobbies in their lives that they enjoy and chores around the house. You should be reading with them at least ½ hour per day.

Most children’s ability to concentrate is driven by the habits in their lives that force them to focus even when they don’t realize they are doing it. Kids develop their ability to focus when they are playing games, doing chores, building Lego’s, reading, and making up stories. You can put systems in place that will help them engage in activities like this to grow their ability to concentrate.

The daily events a child experiences have a great impact on their ability to focus. The child who wakes up at an appropriate time (the science says school should not start before 8.30am), eats a healthy breakfast, enjoys a calm and uneventful trip to school (no screaming and rushing out the door), attends school all day every day, has a plan after school (homework, sports practice, chores), experiences a settled dinner with family, then gets ready for bed and reads with their parents (no screen time) is more likely to develop their ability to focus than the child who misses out on one or more of these things. Unfortunately for them, these factors are largely out of their control. It is up to the parents to put the structure and systems in place to give the child boundaries that will promote healthy intellectual development.

How Do I Help My Child Focus?

Helping your child focus starts with putting the big picture systems and structures in place so they will have more opportunities in their lives to focus with fewer distractions. Think about the things in your child’s life that pull them away. Is it TV? Tablets? Phones? Perhaps it’s something else. Whatever it is, their exposure to it needs to be reduced and replaced with outlets that are healthier for brain development, like the pursuit of their interests. The earlier this is done, the better. Strong routines help to develop positive outcomes for children. However, if you try an activity and don’t see the results you want right away you shouldn’t worry. It may simply mean they don’t like that activity. Take the time to try something else and do your best to bond with them in the process.

Using reading as a tool to promote focus can be very effective, especially if you start early. When you read with your child consistently you start a routine to which they become accustomed. The benefits of reading tend to compound on themselves the more you do it. Think about when you read a book multiple times… Each time you read it you notice something new, right? It’s the same with kids, but on a smaller scale. They may love their favorite books because of the characters or the scenery, but if you work closely with them you can help them find something new to love. When you come back to the book the next night you can ask the child to show you what they remember. After some repetition, they will remember those new observations and begin to recall them just like they recall other parts of the story. When the parents use deliberate strategies like this that are designed to bring the child along slowly, they can enjoy the reading experience together while building the confidence of the child to focus and the confidence of the parent to facilitate the process.

Envision what using this strategy could look like after using it every night after just two weeks ! Each day you began to notice the child starting to remember more and more of the information (maybe of the text or the pictures – both are great), but you didn’t present the information in a big and intimidating way. You broke it down into small manageable parts and allowed the child to take in the information slowly. You spent more time focusing on building your relationship with them as you taught them so they learned to trust you and enjoyed working with you. This is where you want to find yourself. Moving them along slowly but steady (things may not always move forward and that’s OK) and building your bond with them so they like connecting with you when you work together. In the long run, that will be more important and beneficial.

Playing games are a great way to help a child focus on the task at hand and have fun while doing it. You could try concentration games. I personally play Kanoodle and Q-bitz with my kids. You could also try matching games, sequencing games, puzzles, or checkers. As your child grows in their ability, chess is a great way to build concentration. In fact, there is solid research out there on how kids who play chess have a greater ability to focus and think analytically. Whichever game you choose to play with them, make sure they have several opportunities each week to play. Time and consistency are key contributors to growth.

Kids learn life skills through play. It is evolutions preparation for life. If you can put systems in place that enable your child to practice the skills they will need to succeed using play, they will benefit from your efforts later in life. Set time aside, at least a few times a week with no distractions and give them time to play by themselves, with their siblings, or with friends. Most games they play that require them using their imaginations are beneficial. If they are by themselves, Lego’s are also a good way to get them thinking, creating, and having fun. This is another activity that you may need to start small and build from there, but it can be worth it. My daughter can sit in her room alone for hours building her Lego’s. When we started, it was more like 5-10 minutes. The road was hard to get her where she is, but it was worth it.

If you have trouble setting things up, check out Let Grow . They were founded by leading social scientists with the belief that eliminating natural play and independence is harmful to our kids. Their mission is to push back on overprotection and restore childhood resilience. One small way they aim to do that is to help kids get back to playing outside together.

There are many benefits of developing focus through sports. Your child will be in an environment where teamwork, individual work, focusing on the task at hand, and following directions all work in tandem to create success. The best part is they will not have to worry too much about how it all fits together because they will be immersed in the experience. If your primary goal is to develop focus, you should carefully consider which one would be best for your child. Consider sports that prompt frequent activity and engagement to ensure they are always a part of the action. This should help with developing their focus. Some sports to think about include; swimming, tennis, gymnastics, wrestling, soccer, and martial arts. As your child grows into their new interest pay attention to what they respond positively to. You may need to use those motivators in other areas of their lives.

Some parents say that music was the vehicle that changed everything for their child’s ability to focus. The brain research on music and focus is strong. It also helps with analytical thinking and problem-solving. Percussion or woodwind instruments can be helpful if your child is very active. Brass instruments can benefit kids who need a little time to pick up something new because it does not require them to coordinate as many moving parts as some other instruments.

Building a sense of responsibility helps to build focus. Remember that the way in which you have your child do chores is just as important as the chores that you choose for (or with) them. It’s OK to remind them or help them stay organized, but it’s not OK to let them slide if they don’t do their jobs. If your child has a list of weekly chores allow them to mark off each one as they complete them. Completion of a task brings with it a sense of pride and accomplishment that you can emphasize to create more motivation in the child to become responsible. Don’t add more to the bottom of the list once they start checking off the items at the top.

Chores give your child a sense of ownership and responsibility around the house and lets them know that their contribution really matters because if they don’t finish their chores, something doesn’t get done that should have. Use this as an opportunity to talk to them about the natural consequences of not taking responsibility in life. Have a consequence in place if they don’t complete their chores and make sure you enforce it. Then move on. Every day is a new chance to learn.

Diet plays a major role in a child’s ability to focus. Children need to eat healthy food to function properly. Keep them away from sugary foods and feed them more greens and you will probably see a child who is more energetic with less ups and downs throughout the day. This is another easy category for you to help your child make gains. Start to cycle out the unhealthy foods. As you do that alongside the other items on this list you should be pleased with the progress you see.

Turn them off! Many of the apps on devices are distractions and promote short attention spans by encouraging the child to click from one thing to another without prompting them to really think about what they are doing. Both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs famously raised their kids in tech-free environments. Research is now starting to indicate that smartphone use can be damaging to the brains of young people and should be limited or avoided. Embracing low-tech parenting may be the quickest thing you can do to help develop your child’s ability to focus.

Bringing It All Together

Don’t try to do too many of these at once. My approach is built around the long game and staying focused on the kind of adult you want your child to be. You are taking the small steps today that will make a big difference for them later. Start with one of the items on the list and spend more time growing your bond with them as you help them develop their skill set. That’s what they really need you for. As long as they know you will be there for them and be good to them, you should see the progress come with time. Then you can add other activities when you know the time is right.

Related Questions

How do i help my child concentrate.

Provide meaningful opportunities to engage together in activities that they enjoy. Use that time to see how they respond to certain elements of the activity, so that you can perhaps use that information later to keep the child motivated in another activity. Drastically reduce or eliminate screen time.

How do I help my child who is struggling in school?

Be sure you are working with them as a support. You want to be someone they believe they can rely on and will come to if they need help. Have an open conversation with them to figure out where to start to tackle the problem. Then contact the teacher and have a conversation with them about what they are seeing in the classroom.

The Bookshelf

Exploring edtech and cognitive psychology.

• NSF Funds Work on Flagging Bad Online Behavior
• Testing AI Fairness in Predicting College Dropout Rate
• Pandemic Lockdowns Boost, Democratize Online Education
• Study Reveals Key Course Features that Draw Diverse Students
• Study: No Single Solution Helps All Students Complete MOOCs

7 Ways to Help Your Child Overcome Focus Issues

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re concerned about your child’s focus. It’s not always easy to tell when a child is struggling with focus issues or if there is a different issue that affects their focus. Whatever your situation, here are seven ways that you can help your child overcome these issues and improve their focus!

Focus is something that children practice and learn at different rates. While some children seem more naturally able to focus, others tend to struggle a lot more. If your child is having trouble focusing, it’s important to understand that this is normal and there are ways to help!

1. Check In With A Professional

According to the CDC, approximately 11% of children between the ages of 4 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD. While this number may seem high, it’s important to remember that not all children who struggle with focus have ADHD. But checking in with a professional about your child’s focus issues is important, because early intervention leads to much better outcomes. If medication is recommended for your child, bear in mind there is genetic testing for ADHD medications to ensure you find a good fit for your child’s specific genetic profile.

2. Routine, Routine, Routine

One of the best ways to help a child with focus issues is to establish a routine. Having set times for homework, meals, and activities can help your child know what to expect and when. This can help minimize distractions and make it easier for them to focus on what they need to do.

Another way to help your child focus is to establish routines for specific tasks. For example, you might have a rule that your child has to sit at the kitchen table to do homework. Or, you might require that they put away all electronics 30 minutes before bedtime.

Routines can be helpful for children with focus issues, but they need to be flexible too. If a routine isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change it. The most important thing is that you find what works best for your child.

3. Break Down Tasks Into Smaller Steps

One of the best ways to help a child with focus issues is to break down tasks into smaller steps. For example, if your child is struggling to focus on homework, help them break the task down into smaller pieces.

You can also use this strategy for other tasks, like getting ready for bed or cleaning up their room. Breaking tasks down into smaller steps can help your child feel less overwhelmed and make it easier for them to focus.

It’s also important to remember that some children need more time to complete tasks than others. If your child is struggling to focus, give them a few extra minutes to finish tasks. This can help reduce stress and make it easier for them to focus.

4. Do Activities to Practice Focus

There are many activities that you can do with your child to help them practice focus . One activity that is popular with children is using a hula hoop.

To play this game, start by having your child stand in the middle of the hula hoop. Then, have them focus on one object in the room and try to keep their eyes on it while they spin around. As they get better at this game, you can make it more challenging by moving the object around or adding more hula hoops.

Other activities that can help your child practice focus include Simon Says, puzzles, and coloring.

Doing activities to practice focus can help your child learn how to better direct their attention. These activities can also be a fun way to bond with your child and spend time together.

5. Get Rid of Distractions

Another way to help your child focus is to get rid of distractions. This means creating a space that is free from noise and other distractions.

If your child is struggling to focus at home, try creating a quiet space for them to work in. This might be a spot in their room or a place at the kitchen table.

You can also help your child focus by reducing distractions when you’re out and about. For example, you can turn off your child’s phone or have them wear noise-cancelling headphones.

Getting rid of distractions can be a challenge, but it’s important to create an environment that is conducive to focus.

6. Use Visual Aids

Visual aids can be a helpful tool for children with focus issues. For example, you can use a visual schedule to help your child know what to expect throughout the day.

You can also use visual aids to help your child focus on specific tasks. For example, you can use a picture of a calm scene to help your child relax when they’re feeling overwhelmed.

Visual aids can be helpful for children with focus issues, but it’s important to find what works best for your child. Some children respond well to visual aids, while others might find them distracting.

7. Be Patient

It’s important to be patient when dealing with focus issues in your child. This is a process that takes time and there will be setbacks.

If you’re patient and consistent, you will help your child learn how to better focus. This can be a difficult process, but it’s important to remember that every child is different and what works for one child might not work for another.

While it’s normal for children to struggle with focus from time to time, there are things that you can do to help your child overcome these issues. By using some of these strategies, you can help your child learn how to better focus and make the most of each day.

About The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf was founded by a group of Cornell students with the goal of bringing together thought leaders in the field of Educational Technology (EdTech) and cognitive psychology.

If you have any questions about our blog, please get in touch !