Tips For Helping Children Develop Attention

These are fun, easy ways to support your child in increasing their attention span

‘What’s on the tray?’ Place 10 items on a tray and only allow your child to look for 1 minute. Then, remove the tray and have them write down as many items from the tray as they can remember. 

‘What’s missing?’ Similar to what’s on the tray (mentioned above), you allow your child to observe a tray of items for one minute. Then, you remove the tray and take 1-2 items. Allow the kids to observe for one more minute then they can say what is missing from the tray. 

"Red Light, Green Light" When your child hears the words “Green light” they can move forward, but when they hear “Red light” they must freeze. 

"Simon Says" This classic game is done by only repeating the action when the person in charge says the phrase ‘Simon Says’ beforehand. Do an action without the phrase and you are out. 

Puzzles - class puzzles are fabulous for developing focus and attention to detail

"Freeze Dance" - All you need is a space to dance and a music player (we play it dancing!). Everyone dances when the music plays. Once it stops, everyone on the dance floor freezes. Once you move, you are out!  

Word Searches - These are inexpensive and come in varying levels of difficulty.  Here is a great example for younger children: