10 Evidence-backed Tips to Teach Kids Focus and Concentration

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

As a Ph.D. in education, a certified teacher, and a parent of three, I’ve seen focus struggles from every angle: research, classrooms, and real family life. I also know that difficulty with focus is common, developmentally normal, and very often teachable.

Difficulty concentrating is something many teachers notice—and many parents quietly worry about. One thing I know for sure is that focus doesn’t always come easily to children.

How to teach a child to focus

What does poor focus look like in children

If you are dealing with a child who is unable to concentrate, then you know what lack of focus and concentration looks like. Children who struggle with focus may:

– Have trouble following through on tasks such as homework or chores.

– Quickly lose interest in games and activities

– Take longer than expected to complete assignments (you may hear frequent complaints from their teacher about their inattentiveness)

– Need frequent stimulation or movement.

– Appear dreamy or easily distracted

– Misplace belongings often

– Forget instructions soon after hearing them. The may set off to do something then end up doing something completely different because they forgot what they were supposed to be doing

As a parent, it is important to remember that these behaviors are signals, not character flaws. Also, they do not mean that your child isn’t trying.

Why focus is closely linked to self‑regulation

Starting school is a major transition. While it’s exciting, it also asks a lot of children—especially when it comes to self‑regulation, the ability to manage attention, emotions, and behavior.

We now know that how well your child can navigate this transition largely depends on self-regulation. Research consistently shows that children with stronger self‑regulation skills are better able to:

– resist distractions and stay focused on the task at hand

– demonstrate a high sense of self-efficacy

– follow instructions

– persist through challenges

– engage more successfully in social situations.

Scientifically Validated Tips to Improve Your Child’s Focus

In both my academic research and classroom experience, self‑regulation—not intelligence—has been one of the strongest predictors of learning success.

Developmental psychologist Adele Diamond highlights three core skills that support focus:

• Self‑control – learning to pause and choose an appropriate response

• Working memory – holding and using information in mind

• Cognitive flexibility – adapting thinking when rules or situations change

When these skills are supported, children are better able to listen, think, and then act..

Concrete Strategies to Improve Your Child’s Focus

Using toys to support focus

Not every child benefits from the same tools. What matters most is fit, not trends.

“Fidgets can help some children concentrate by providing quiet sensory input.

They are most helpful when:

– The child already struggles with focus or anxiety

– The fidget is simple and not visually distracting

Examples of classroom‑friendly options (affiliate links):

• Squishy stress balls

• Fidget spinner (simple, sturdy designs)

• Chair or desk fidget bands

• Therapy or focusing putty

• Marble fidgets

• Tangle toys

• Squishy stress balls

Category 2: Focus‑building games (affiliate links)

Games that require attention, planning, and memory naturally strengthen focus.

Good options include:

• Story cubes (cognitive flexibility)

• Where’s Wally? (visual attention)

• Jigsaw puzzles (sustained attention)

• Memory card games (working memory). Memory card games are great for developing your child’s focus and concentration because they force them to pay attention to remember where they last saw the images. Here are colorful and high-quality printable memory cards that your child will enjoy

• Perplexus Rookie (planning and persistence)

• Jenga (inhibitory control)

• Spot It! (visual scanning)

Proven Strategies to Improve Your Child’s Focus at School

If focus difficulties are affecting learning, collaboration helps. Support works best when home and school communicate openly.

Teachers may support focus by:

• Reducing environmental distractions

• Checking for understanding before tasks begin

• Offering gentle structure and guidance

When Should You Worry About Focus?

In many cases, focus improves naturally as children grow. Their concentration tends to improve as they develop their self-control skills.

However, persistent difficulties may be associated with:

• ADHD

• Learning differences

• Anxiety or obsessive patterns

• Hearing or auditory processing challenges

If concerns continue, speaking with your family doctor or your child’s teacher can help clarify next steps

Some Common Causes of Children’s Difficulty With Focus

In my teaching and research experience, when parents say “My child can’t concentrate,” they are usually describing a very real—and very understandable— developmental challenge.

Children are naturally curious and easily distracted, especially when tasks feel uninteresting or demanding. Focus typically improves with age as self-control develops, but some children need more support along the way.

Common contributing factors include:

1) Anxiety

Anxiety can quietly interfere with a child’s ability to focus. Worries about making mistakes, separating from parents, or feeling embarrassed can make it harder to listen and follow instructions. Age-appropriate resources can help your child learn to deal with strong emotions.

2) Insufficient sleep has an impact on your child’s ability to concentrate

Sleep plays a major role in attention. When children don’t get enough rest, focus often suffers.

The sleep foundation recommends that:

– 1 to 2 year olds need 11 to 14 hours of sleep

– 3 to 5 year olds need 10 to 13 hours of sleep

– 6 to 13 year olds need 9 to 11 hours of sleep

– 14 to 17 year olds need 8 to 10 hours of sleep

3) Lack of routines

Predictable routines reduce uncertainty and support focus. Even simple, consistent routine such as “as soon as you get home, you take your snack, do your homework for 20 minutes, then watch TV for 20 minutes” can make a noticeable difference.

4) Diet

While sugar alone (candy, sodas, cereals, snacks, etc.) doesn’t explain attention difficulties, balanced meals that are low in added sugars and high in fiber support steady energy and focus.

5) Excessive screen use

Although the studies about screen time are inconclusive about “the right amount” and the “real impact” of screens on children, most screen-use researchers agree that too much screen time can have a negative impact on your child’s development.

Monitoring your child’s screen use and setting screen-use rules, establishing screen-free zones and forbidding screen use just before bedtime are easy ways that may help reduce their distraction.

6) Stress

Major life changes, peer difficulties including bullying, or ongoing stress can affect concentration.

Proven Strategies to Improve Your Child’s Focus

Research consistently shows that games and everyday activities are powerful tools for strengthening focus. Here’s how you can get started.

1 | Play Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders

Everyone knows the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song. Turns out it’s a great resource for teaching kids to learn about focus and concentration.

The natural tendency with the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song is to touch the part of the body mentioned. However, research has shown that asking children to do the opposite of what they hear or are told (for example touch their toes when they are asked to touch their head) strengthens inhibitory control and focus.

2 | Play Simon says

Having trouble with your child’s concentration? Play Simon says. This classic game builds listening skills, attention, and self-regulation.

3 | Help your child train their mind to concentrate

Puzzles, mazes, pattern games, and visual search activities train the brain to sustain attention.

Age-appropriate Executive Function Kits are great because they help your child to work on different skills that can help improve multiple skills such as concentration, borganization, visual perception skills, and memory retention.

Here are high-quality Executive Function Kits for children between the ages of four and six, and age-appropriate kits for kids between the ages of seven and nine.

4 | Try the day-night task

The day-night task involves showing your child a card (or picture) and asking them to say the opposite of what they see (For example “day” could be an acceptable response when shown a dark star-filled card).

Researchers have used this tool for years to improve children’s focus.

5 | Use picture sudoku puzzles

Picture sudoku puzzles support visual attention and calm, sustained focus.

They are also an excellent art therapy activity to calm stressed kids and increase concentration. You can get high-quality picture sudoku puzzles here (for kids between the ages of 4 and 6) or here (for kids between the ages of 7 and 9).

6 | Encourage your child to plan activities 

When children help choose and plan what they do, focus naturally increases.

Several researchers have found that asking kids to plan their activities in advance helps increase their interest, concentration, and creative skills because it makes them feel personally responsible for managing their time and activities.

Our Executive Function Kits are filled with activities and worksheets to help children play a more active role in planning their activities.

7 | Reducing distractions can help increase your child’s concentration

Even the most disciplined adults occasionally struggle with distractions, so it is logical that distractions can be difficult for your child. A quiet, screen-free space can make it easier to concentrate.

8 | Establish routines

Consistent schedules provide structure and support sustained attention.

For example, scheduling homework at a set time each day and being consistent can help improve focus.

9 | Encourage make-believe play

Research says that intentional make-believe play is an important aspect of learning. Role play supports flexible thinking and self-regulation

Charles Schaefer, the play therapy expert, argues that role-playing helps a child learn to think ahead and reflect on appropriate responses to frustrating situations.

When kids engage in role-playing, they are more thoughtful, flexible, and creative in the face of everyday problems.

10 | Involve your child in chores

Simple responsibilities build confidence, independence, and focus. Some of the benefits associated with chores include:

– Better social, emotional and academic outcomes

– An increase in your child’s sense of worth and confidence

– Increased autonomy and self-reliance

– The development of important skills such as responsibility, self-reliance, and accountability

Simple tasks that show your child that they are capable of success reinforce their ability to concentrate. The more your child feels confident in their ability to achieve expectations, the easier it will be for them to focus.

Letting them choose the tasks to perform also makes it more likely for them to follow through. Here are 70 age-appropriate chore cards to encourage your child to begin or continue doing household chores.

11 | Encourage reading

Reading strengthens sustained attention and cognitive engagement.

Good children’s books captivate them, open up their world, and are presented in an age-appropriate manner (number of difficult words, use of colors and illustrations, etc.).

Talk to your local librarian if you are unsure about a great book that would suit your child. want to try out.

12 | Practice play planning

Play planning involves asking kids to determine what they would like to do (or will do) during a specific moment (for instance when they are bored).

Having children describe or draw what they plan to do helps them stay focused..

This tool gives you the resources you need to help even the youngest kids practise play planning.

13 | Play the freeze game

The freeze game was successfully used by the researchers McClelland and Tominey in a study to develop children’s concentration. The freeze game involves asking everyone to dance to music and then freeze when the music stops.

You can also ask your child to dance slowly to slow songs and quickly to fast songs. When this is mastered, ask them to dance slowly when fast songs are played, and quickly when slow songs are played.

Stopping and starting movement on cue strengthens attention control

14 | Reinforce the behavior you want

Noticing and reinforcing focused behavior increases the likelihood it will repeat. Setting simple concentration goals that they can achieve and then reinforcing positive behavior can help improve their focus and concentration.

That said, positive reinforcement used the wrong way can cause more harm than good.

The Positive Behavior Kit gives you a step-by-step approach to using positive reinforcement appropriately in order to reduce specific negative behavior.

It outlines the pitfalls to avoid and gives you practical tips to avoid turning this discipline strategy into some form of “bribery”.

15 | Break down instructions

Short, clear steps are easier for children to process and follow.

Simple questions such as “What will you do first? And then? What will you do next?” can also help them get a good mental picture of what they are expected to do.

16 | Use a timer

Timers help children practice focusing for manageable periods of time.

17 | Help your child practice mindfulness

Several studies have shown that mindfulness can help children learn to keep still and focused. For instance, one study found that teaching seven- to eight-year-olds breathing exercises greatly reduced their anxiety levels and increased their focus.

18 | Adapt to your child’s needs

Some children focus best in quiet; others need gentle background noise. Identifying what works best for your child can help reduce their inattentiveness.

Alternative Natural Options to Support Focus

Natural supplements

Some families explore child-specific supplements. Many parents struggling with their children’s inattention have spoken of Genius Drops, which are certified organic, gluten and sugar-free and non-GMO herbal supplements made specifically to help boost kids’ attentiveness and focus.

If you consider this option, reviewing ingredients carefully and consulting a healthcare professional is recommended. Here are a few supplements you can check out. Don’t forget to read the reviews to see what other parents think:

Best Natural Focus Supplement for Kids
Focus Factor Kids Extra Strength Complete Vitamins

Essential oils

Not all essential oils are safe to use with kids. I have spoken in length about the precautions to take when using these oils with kids. That said, when used safely and appropriately, certain child-friendly essential oils may support calm and attention.

If you are already an essential-oil fan or want to try using essential oils to help boost your child’s attentiveness, here are a few ready-made 100% pure blends you can start with:

Focus

Plant Therapy Happy Place KidSafe Essential Oil Blend

Calm ‘Em Down

Bee Happy

Remember you can also easily make your own recipes using kid-friendly essential oils.

Common Questions About Children and Focus

1. Is it normal for children to struggle with focus?

Yes. Focus develops gradually and varies widely.

2. Can games really improve focus?

Yes. Many games strengthen attention, memory, and self-regulation.

3. How long should children be able to concentrate?

This depends on age, task, and interest. Generally, you can multiply your child’s age by three to estimate their maximum average attention span. For example, a four-year-old can focus for approximately 12 minutes, while a seven-year-old can focus for approximately 21 minutes.

4. When should I seek professional advice?

If focus difficulties significantly interfere with daily life or learning.

5. Is focus something children can learn?

Absolutely. Focus improves with practice, support, and patience.

Scientific resources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17605527

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7805351

http://people.oregonstate.edu/~mcclellm/ms/Ponitz_McClelland_Matthews_Morrison_DP09.pdf

http://www.unco.edu/cebs/psychology/kevinpugh/motivation_project/resources/dweck_leggett88.pdf

https://self-regulationintheclassroom.wikispaces.com/file/view/Perry+mentoring+student+teachers+for+srl.pdf

http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1994-98882-000https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21898897