Improving a child’s attention span is not easy. It requires plenty of practice, hard work, and dealing with underlying conditions which may contribute to why they don't have focus in the first place. There are many ways to address this but we believe that toys have great power to assist with this process!
Sensory toys help stimulate a child’s senses. That stimulation all goes on inside the brain and is closely related to tons of other skills that your child needs to grow into a fully functional adult. These are the motor skills like writing, cutting, and zipping their coat. Also, sensory toys can help give a child the sensations they want. When kids are busy trying to get the sensations they like, it distracts their brain from everything else it needs to be doing. That’s why when kids get the sensations they need through sensory activities and toys, it helps them do everything they need to do.
It seems that the art of putting on the dress ups and then acting out when wearing them motivates even the most distracted child to pay attention. It has several other benefits too--kids create situations and scenes and act out social events when they play dress-up. They're able to test out new ideas and behaviors in a comfortable environment. Dress-up encourages creative thinking and communication skills. It also helps kids practice language development and their social skills. It could be as simple as Mom’s old high-heeled shoes, a Superman cape or a Princess dress: any child’s costume is simply magic!
Concentrating on an art project for long periods develops focus and longer attention spans for kids. Time-dependent projects, like waiting for paint and glue to dry, encourage patience, which is tough for most kids. Not only that, mastering skills, completing art projects, and learning to express themselves in new ways all help them gain confidence and perseverance. These things also help kids come up with positive emotional responses to stressful situations.
A puzzle teaches young children about the concept of a 'whole' and that each piece is a fraction of the bigger picture. In order to get to the result they want, they'll understand that they need to hone their concentration skills. Completing a puzzle also helps them with goal-setting, patience, and gaining a sense of achievement, which will stand children in good stead for school.
What kind of toys are you getting for your kids to help boost their concentration?
