Many of us find it hard to concentrate and for school kids, this can be a problem. Concentration is a skill that requires focus and discipline, and in today’s fast-moving world where Google can provide the answer to just about everything plus the availability of nonstop kids’ entertainment, many children find it hard to concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes.
The truth is that concentration can be seen in the same way as mindfulness. And although it is a skill that anyone can achieve, you may need to work at encouraging your child to focus and concentrate without becoming distracted by outside stimulation.
So, what can you do to help boost your kid’s concentration levels?
1. Give your child enough time to complete a task. Young children between 4 and 5 may manage up to 20 minutes of concentration so encouraging this will help them build up concentration reserves for the future.
2. Encourage your child to carry out only one thing at a time. Multi-tasking may be an enviable skill, but it does not help to learn. If you are helping your child, focus on one issue at a time rather than talking about future work or additional problems.
3. Break down difficult tasks into handleable pieces. So if your child is struggling with shoelaces for example, focus on getting the initial knot right before you move on to tying the bows. If he or she has homework that requires research, set the timer for 15 minutes or so and then they can focus without becoming overwhelmed by the scale of the project.
4. Keep your child in the moment by encouraging them to notice what is around them. Games like I Spy are great for this. Keeping them aware of their surroundings and external stimuli such as music, looking at insects, birds, butterflies and animals, and your children will learn to focus on the moment rather than always looking to the TV and video games for stimulation.
5. The brain is a muscle, so like any muscle in the body, it requires good quality nutrition in order to grow stronger. A good quality diet that contains protein will help the brain grow and develop.
6. Although taking supplements should never be an alternative for a healthy diet, there are some good kid’s supplements out there that will help boost your child’s concentration levels. Zahler KidsActive Powder is aimed at improving mental focus in children. It comes in the form of a fruit punch flavored drink and is crammed full of B vitamins and minerals, including zinc and magnesium.
Zahler is a respected supplement brand that provides vitamin and mineral-based solutions for health and is a brand you can trust for your kid’s health.