4 Ways to Strengthen Your Child's Attention Span
Building the Foundation for Learning
by Polly Williams, Head of Preschool
In today’s fast-paced world, where distractions are everywhere, helping young children develop a longer attention span is more important than ever. At Blue House Preschool, we believe that play is one of the best ways to build focus, persistence, and patience. The key? Allow children to choose what they want to play with but encourage them to stick with it for a set amount of time before moving on.
Parenting influencer and blogger Molly Sims often speaks about creating a balanced and intentional childhood. Drawing from her insights and our expertise in early childhood education, I wanted to explore how parents and educators can gently extend a child’s attention span through play while avoiding quick dopamine hits from screens and fast-paced entertainment. In this article, I’ll outline four basic ways you can help your young child build their attention span:
1. Harness the power of sustained play.
2. Avoid quick-dopamine activities.
3. Teach them how to follow through.
4. Practice attention-building behaviors.
A child’s ability to focus is foundational to their cognitive and emotional development. Research indicates that the ability to focus, deal with conflicting information, and persist through difficulty is especially relevant for doing well in school, on academic tasks, and for educational attainment. Self-regulation and focusing skills rapidly develop during the preschool years and help lay the foundation for later development. Sustained attention is linked to problem-solving skills and academic success later in life.
When children engage in an activity for an extended period, they build patience, resilience, and the ability to work through challenges. However, attention spans don’t grow overnight. Just as children build strength through physical activity, they develop focus through intentional play that encourages persistence.
1. Harness the power of sustained play.
Rather than directing a child’s play, allow them to choose an activity that excites them. The key is to set an expectation that they will engage with it for a certain amount of time before moving on. For example, if a child starts building with blocks, gently encourage them to keep going for 15 minutes before switching activities. This practice helps them learn that commitment leads to deeper engagement and accomplishment.
Molly Sims emphasizes the importance of creating meaningful experiences for children. In her blog, she discusses how exposure to new activities, creativity, and structure helps children develop well-rounded skills. By setting small goals within playtime, we create a healthy challenge that promotes perseverance.
2. Avoid quick-dopamine activities.
Young children, by nature, have short attention spans. Experts say that you can expect a preschooler to give their attention to something based on their age times 5. So you can expect a 3 year old to actively engage in an activity for 15 minutes depending on how preferred the activity is. You may be thinking, “But they can watch a screen for hours!” Attending to a screen is not the same as attending to play.
In today’s digital age, it’s easy to rely on screens to keep children occupied. However, watching movies or television programs does not require output or action. Viewing these shows does not require creativity, or higher level thinking or problem solving. Fast-paced entertainment like tablets, video games, and quick-satisfaction toys encourage short bursts of attention followed by a reward which gives the brain a quick dose of dopamine, lighting up the reward centers of the brain.
These devices can actually shorten a child’s natural ability to focus. These activities provide instant gratification, making it harder for kids to engage in slower, process-driven play. Instead, opt for activities that naturally encourage sustained attention.
Activities That Encourage Sustained Attention
- Building sets like LEGO or wooden blocks
- Puzzles that require problem-solving
- Pretend play, such as creating a restaurant or playing house
- Sensory activities like kinetic sand or water play
- By guiding children toward these types of play, we create opportunities for them to immerse themselves in a task without the need for constant stimulation.
3. Teach them how to follow through
One of the most valuable lessons we can teach children is the importance of following through. When a child starts a puzzle, a drawing, or a block structure, encourage them to see it through to completion. A simple phrase like, “Let’s finish this tower before we clean up,” instills a sense of responsibility and accomplishment.
In her parenting discussions, Molly Sims shares that children thrive when given opportunities to work through discomfort. Whether it’s finishing a challenging task or sticking with an activity longer than they initially intended, these moments help children develop resilience. Over time, they learn that the reward of persistence is greater than the fleeting excitement of jumping from one thing to another.
4. Practice attention-building behaviors.
If your child seems to be flitting from thing to thing and unable to stick with an activity or task, there are some specific things you can do to build their attention skills.
Meet Basic Sleep and Nutrition Needs
Make sure your child is well rested and well fed with quality food.
Establish Predictable Routines
Our brains seek patterns and it feels safe to know what is next
Define what Play Looks Like
Instead of sending your child off to the playroom with no direction, split your playtime into specific chunks. If your child wanders from one activity to the next, offer limited options.
Set a Timer
Use a timer to establish clear but manageable expectations. For example, “Let’s play with these blocks for 10 more minutes before we switch.”
Offer Encouragement
Praise their efforts by saying, “I love how you’re sticking with this puzzle!”
Think in Terms of “One More”
Before stopping an activity they have been doing for a brief period of time, encourage your child to do one more thing (Add one more detail to your drawing, or one more block to your tower) before stopping.
Model Focused Behavior
Children mimic adults. Engage in focused activities yourself, like reading or crafting, to show them that sustained attention is valuable.
Provide Some Goal Oriented Activities
Emptying the silverware tray in the dishwasher has a natural end where it is declared finished. Playing games, like Candy Land, is one of the best ways to expand focus and attention. Children must follow the rules, know whose turn it is, take his or her turn when it is time. Finishing a task has an element of pride and persistence that encourages attention.
Provide Open-Ended Play Opportunities
Activities without a set endpoint, such as storytelling or fort-building, naturally encourage deeper engagement.
It's a Process!
Growing a child’s attention span takes time, patience, and practice. By allowing them to engage in a variety of play while gently extending their focus, we set them up for long-term success. Small steps lead to big progress. So, establish a routine and get out the games, costumes, and playdough. Set a timer, and play with purpose.
About the Author
Polly Williams became Head of Preschool in the summer of 2023. She previously served as the Director of Admission for Trinity Episcopal School and Blue House Preschool for three years. She holds a BA from Emory University and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Georgia State University. Polly is certified in Educational Leadership, Early Childhood Education, and Instructional Supervision.