Training Little Minds to Dwell: Growing Focus in a Distracted World
Our world can be extraordinarily loud. If we are not careful, our kids will grow accustomed to the pull of distraction and disengagement, especially in a world filled with noise, stimulation, and screens. It’s no wonder that so many kids are struggling with focus and attention.
Though it can seem like some kids are just “naturally” more focused and others are destined to race from one thing to another, the truth is focus is a skill which can grow and strengthen when properly nurtured. Focus develops over time with intentional, repeated practice, gentle support, and the help of a prepared environment. Let’s explore what a typical attention span of young kids looks like, what might be keeping your child from focusing and simple ways to help your child and yourself, strengthen this essential skill early learning skill at home.
Typical Preschool Attention Span
Pause and reflect: How long is your child able to concentrate on a task without getting distracted?
It likely depends on the task and the day, and how many snacks were previously consumed, and if they slept well the night before. But generally, the older a child is the longer they should be able to focus on a task. A three year old should be able to sustain focus for about 6-8 minutes, a four year old, 8-12 minutes and a 5-6 year old 12-18 minutes, and so on. Don’t fret if you find that your child struggles with focus. Remember, this is a skill we can all strengthen.
Physical Needs
First address your child’s physical needs. It may seem obvious, but I find that it’s the easiest to overlook, especially for myself. Is your child getting enough sleep? Enough exercise? Time outside? Are they eating too much sugar?
Children ages 3-5 should sleep 10 to 13 hours everyday according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Children ages 3-4 should spend at least 3 hours a day being physically active according to the National Health Service and the World Health Organization.
Kids should spend 3 hours a day outside—far greater than the current 4-7 minutes kids are likely getting according to some experts.
Children ages 4-6 should have no more than 19g of sugar a day according to the National Health Service. I know for a fact there’s 15g of sugar in my daughter’s fig bar sitting in our cupboard.
We could continue with water intake, proper nutrition, environmental influences (cleaning agents, air quality, etc.). Suffice it to say, when it comes to our child’s physical needs (and our own) we can all improve–and it would greatly benefit our kids and ourselves.
Cognitive Needs
Next, address your child’s cognitive needs. This one is a little less obvious and a little more technical. Focus is an executive functioning skill along with holding and working with information in your mind, filtering distractions and switching gears. What may seem simple is actually a complex system of neural connections in the brain. The good news is the brain is like a muscle that can be strengthened over time with repeated practice.
To help your child practice focusing you can eliminate distractions.
Put away visual clutter like toys.
Turn off auditory distractions like the TV, or your phone buzzing.
Limit screen time.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says preschool aged children should not have more than an hour of high quality screen time a day. Excessive screen time has been linked to attention problems. Instead of screens you can play with puzzles, matching games, board or card games, build with blocks, sculpt with clay or paint. LINK
Have consistent routines. When kids know what to expect, they use more of their brain’s attention on what they are doing, not what they will do next.
Do one thing at a time.
Model these practices. A lot more is caught than taught in kids. If you are struggling with focusing and staying present, then they likely will too. Practice these things together.
Focus is an essential skill for life. Building focus isn’t something that comes overnight. It takes time and patience. Setting rhythms, limiting distractions, getting outside, and finding different ways to play can all make a BIG difference, for your child, for you, and for your family.
But learning new ways of doing things and sticking with those new ways takes a lot of intentionality and repeated practice. Focus on strengthening your child’s attention span one activity at a time.
