Some children have lower attention and impulse control meaning they struggle to stay focused on tasks, to wait patiently, or to pay attention and listen. They might jump to conclusions, make decisions or act without thinking, have difficulties moving from one task to another and can be more focused on the here and now rather than any future rewards or consequences.
Other children have high levels of focus and can experience difficulties speeding up, adapting to new information, and making transitions from one task to another.
Helping your child to build their attention skills will help them both at home and school, including for younger children. Playing games and reading can support attention and listening skills. Books with rhymes, humour and predictable patterns can help as can any books that your child is particularly interested in. For older children, these may include graphic novels.
Ear defenders or music in headphones can help to tune in or tune out unwanted stimuli. Fidget toys can also be helpful for some young people, but do be aware for some they can be a further distraction as they become the sole focus of attention.
If your child needs support to follow instructions remember to give them one instruction at a time in a clear, concise manner, gaining their attention first. Give clear, short expectations and explain any consequences to not following these. Deal with this in a consistent way. Tell your child what you want them to do rather than what not to do. You could try a point system or other methods to reinforce appropriate behaviours. Ignore minor inappropriate behaviour unless you know that otherwise, the behaviour will escalate.
Other ways to support your child to improve their attention and impulse control:
- Sellotape a motivational message onto their pen or ruler, to encourage your child to 'keep going!'
- Visual aids like task planners, routine visuals, timetables and calendars can help with planning.
- Sand timers and analogue clocks can visually show an activity starting and finishing. Check if your child can use a digital clock before using one.
- Have a dedicated area for your child to work at home if you can. Find ways to support your child complete their homework.
- The Pomodoro technique is a tool to help improve studying and productivity for teens.
- Here’s a video to help your child stay safe when crossing the road.
Useful resources
- Happy Learners has a series of articles and resources with a range of strategies for parents.
- The NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Children's Speech and Language Service have produced a number of resources to help develop attention and listening skills.
- Focused Ninja: A children’s book about increasing focus and concentration at home and school: 21 (Ninja Life Hacks) (Mary Nihn, 2021)