How to Help your Child Focus at Home and at School

Helping your Child Focus Better

Do you want your child to focus better? You lose sleep worried “How can I help my child focus?”  I understand.  Today’s kids are sitting at their desks for long periods even at younger ages. Some children have more difficulty with this than others.  My child was having trouble focusing.  I needed to find ways to help my child focus at home and at school.

 

This is a long post and I understand you may not have the time to read this now.  Instead of scrolling through why don’t I send you the cliff notes version so you can read it when it’s good for you.  (Remember how great cliff notes were?) 

How can I help my child focus?  That’s what your thinking before bed.

 

This past year we had some trouble with our son focusing at school.  Now, it’s not a lack of intelligence or behavior issues.  He was not focusing on the task. Granted, not focusing can become a behavior problem if not addressed quickly.

 

I realized that focusing does not come easily to many children.  Like anything else, focusing is not something that children just know.  It is a learned skill that needs to be taught and reinforced.  Learning strategies to help them focus starts at home. The ability to focus will enable your child to prepare for a lifetime of learning. Once they learn these techniques they’ll function better in school as well.  Children can follow these strategies to help improve their ability to focus.

 

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Strategies to help focus at home

• At home model finishing tasks
• Use a sticker chart for home tasks
• Before starting a task make sure all screens and TVs are off
• No multitasking

Research is clear on the topic of multitasking.  Multitasking reduces our concentration and lowers our performance. Help your child do one thing at a time.  Focus on completing that one task.

• Give your child structured time for different tasks

Your child doesn’t need to sit for over an hour to eat a small dinner. Give them the same amount of time they would have for lunch in school.  Sometimes using a timer can help.  We use a timer set to 25 min for dinner and breakfast.

• Encourage and remind each morning to stay on task (No Yelling!)
• Have a Homework Space

Have a designated area for homework.  This area should reduce distractions and help your child to focus on their work.

• Breaking task down

If you have a large task that needs to be done you can break down the larger task into smaller easier tasks.  Do the first part of the task and then build after each one is completed.  This also helps so your child doesn’t get overwhelmed and want to give up.  They will have better success by breaking down the big tasks.

• Exercise in the morning

This really helps get the blood pumping and get some energy out.  Movement is shown to help motivate the brain.  We used to read a book or listen to music but realized he needs to be able to move around before sitting for long periods of time. I learned that days he has music are harder because it is another point in the day that he has to sit.

• Have your child repeat these statements each morning before they leave: I will Listen. I will focus. I will have a great day.

 

Watch this video to learn more about helping your child focus.  She discusses many strategies I have mentioned and shows you products that I’ve recommended.

 

 

How to help a child focus in the classroom

• Try to determine what type of learner the child is

Do they learn visually, auditory or kinesthetic

• Divide bigger tasks into smaller tasks when possible

Children and adults have better success to finish a task when it’s broken down into manageable tasks first.

• Give instructions
• Move seats away from windows and children they want to talk to
• Find ways to increase motivation

 

These strategies will help them focus at home and at school.  They will help improve attention and concentration.  We need to remember, the way we speak to our children has an impact, both good and bad.  When we speak to our children we want them to truly hear what we are saying. They need to learn to focus on a task but also focus when someone is listening.

Activities to improve attention and concentration.  These will help your child focus and listen to what you are saying.

• Get down to their level- it’s easier for them to focus if they aren’t looking up at you
• Make eye contact
• Have them repeat back to you what you said. Repeating things out loud helps to remember.
• Give your child time to hear what you say and respond
• Think about your language and own behavior.  Stay calm and don’t yell.
• Have them close their eyes and count to 10
  • This tip is for children who are having a hard time. Have them slow down, take deep breaths and count.

 

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Be sure to check out

15 Terrific Ideas for Family Connect Nights and

 20 Questions to get your Child talking about School

Tips to remember when reading to your child 

 

Try these focus games for kids 

 

• Play Concentration
• Ask 20 questions
• Freeze dance
• Memory

• SIMON GAME
• Count backward from a large number
• BINGO
• Letter writing on your back

• Puzzles
• Coloring 
• Reading

Be sure to ask questions to help them stay on task and remember what is happening. (go here for best tips when reading together)

• Make a chore or boring task a game.

Make it a competition and see who can pick up more toys under 30 secs.  You can have them only pick up items that are a certain color.

 

These strategies will help develop a child’s well being and set them up for future success.   Use these activities to improve attention and concentration.  It’s very easy to get distracted and get lost in the moment.  We need to help teach kids how to focus on the task at hand.

 

Ways to help your child focus at home and at school

 

 

Here is a wonderful article from PBS Kids that discussed this same topic.  They give more strategies for kids to help focus and concentrate.

 

Help your child stay on track with this review packet.  Written by a teacher for grade level review. Perfect for school breaks and summer. Click below to get yours today.

 

 

P.S. Wait! Don’t go before you grab your Guide to helping your child focus better.  Refer to it when you have the time. 

 

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