Any parent who has had a toddler knows what a task it is to get them to pay attention to anything for more than a few seconds at a time. Peanut is 16-months now, and it seems that the only things that will keep his attention are food and the TV. Even those aren’t guaranteed to be enough. Many young children struggle with focusing on any one thing, especially when it comes to carrying out a challenging task or activity. As a parent this can pose a challenge. We all want to teach our children and  encourage their development. That requires a delicate balance between letting them learn as they play and using structured developmental activities. While they are based in fun, most structured activities require your child to sit down and pay attention. It may not be possible all the time, but there are ways to teach your little one to focus and grow their attention span as they learn.

*This post was co-written by myself and Jason Philips. Jason is a guest blogger who works with SMILETutor, a private tutor agency in Singapore. Thank you, Jason for your tips on teaching our toddlers and young children focus skills.

Here are a few things that you can do to help encourage your toddler’s focus skills:

Start With One Task At A Time

Young children, when faced with multiple tasks, might feel emotionally overpowered. They are likely to turn off or shut down. It is better to break tasks down so that the child feels a sense of achievement for completing the small tasks. After that, you can push him to go further. Instead of giving your kids a list of things to do, and expecting them to carry out an array of orders, try helping them to focus on one task at a time. If the task happens to be a big one, divide in into smaller sections.

Try A Rate and Reward System

Setting up a rate and reward system can push your child to focus on a task until they get results. They may even look forward to completing more tasks in the future to receive the same reward. A reward can be anything from a small praise to a treat or other fun activity. It’s innate in all kids to be motivated when rewards are attached to projects.

Give Time for “Attention Distraction”

Kids are undoubtedly known to be enthusiastic and energetic. It’s part of what makes them so funny. As we know from science, too much accumulated energy can produce an explosion. Now, your child won’t literally explode from keeping their energy bottled up, but you don’t want to see them become so overwhelmed that it creates an outburst.  Give them a chance to let that pent-up energy out before the limit is reached for a task. It might actually help them to focus better on the next task! Simply put, mixing physical activity with mental activity is very effective. That brings us to the next tip.

Task the Memory

We should remember that playing helps build concentration. It is advisable to try to mix activities with a little bit of fun. Do away with gadgets, tablets, computers, and allow the kids to play with toys that involve them in activities that will improve concentration. For example, memory games. These games help kids focus in a fun way and help them to concentrate when faced with something challenging. Memory games do not have to be difficult, but just something to help build concentration and increase attention.

A private tutor can help with knowing or selecting the best kind of memory games for different age groups. They may also recommend other thinking games, sequencing games, or meditation.

Give More Naps and Breaks

Kids find that they are able to concentrate best after a good night’s rest. Most also concentrate best after a 20 minute power nap or even less in the afternoon. Whatever it might be, just note that breaks are important as well as a sound night’s sleep. Make sure that your little one is well-rested, recently fed, and (if potty trained) has had a chance to take a bathroom break before approaching a task that requires a lot of focus.

Accomplishing a task with a toddler who is easily distracted, or trying to build an attention span in a rambunctious child can be extremely draining. Patience is highly required. Be careful not to lose your temper and make focusing more difficult for your child. As your child prepares for the transition into school, you may consider getting help from a trained private tutor. Always remember to be patient with yourself and your little ones as you try out our tips and watch your child grow.