What helps children with concentration problems

Concentration originally means leading something to the center. It is about focusing attention on a task or achieving a goal. This is a complex process that needs to be continuously trained in children. External influences play an important role. But what possibilities are there to promote concentration?

Concentration difficulties in children increase. Some have basic problems, others have only their homework as a sticking point. Parents can easily eliminate many sources of disturbance. The biggest attention-grabber is the TV, which runs in the background when doing homework. Radio, Playstation and Smartphone also prevent children from learning. It is often sufficient to create a place where the sources of interference are out of reach. It becomes more difficult with playing siblings if there is not enough space at home. Here it can help to set up a learning zone in a quiet room and to indicate to the others with a sign at the door that they should be a little quieter. But this only works if everyone follows the rules of the game.

Food for the brain and sufficient breaks

If you don't want to concentrate, it helps to go for a walk in the fresh air. Play and movement clear your head. Sweets are a bad incentive. Although the energy reserves are quickly replenished, the blood sugar level drops again just as quickly and the concentration is gone. Nuts or fresh fruit are better. Sufficient liquid is just as indispensable for concentration as a daily breakfast. As far as night sleep is concerned, parents should be consistent. The brain needs this rest phase in order to process what it has learned. At least nine hours sleep must be, with younger children even more. It is important that there is no excitement before going to bed and that no TV is on. This makes it difficult for children to switch off. It is better to introduce yourself to certain rituals before going to bed.

Overstrain and disinterest

It is important to create suitable framework conditions, but they are of little use if expectations on the part of the parents block the child. Instead, a self-determined learning atmosphere should be encouraged. Too difficult tasks cause frustration and provoke the search for distraction. Here it can help to divide tasks into small steps. If a child is not interested in a topic, the creativity of the parents is required to arouse interest. A walk in the woods, a visit to a museum or zoo can help children understand why certain things are on the curriculum. Again, take your foot off the accelerator. According to researchers, it is quite sufficient for a ten-year-old to concentrate on a rather unpopular subject area for 20 minutes. The following applies to all methods: they only work if they are applied regularly. If the child sits one day in its corner and the rest of the week with the homework books in front of the television, no improvement can be achieved.

Classical exercises to promote concentration

In addition to creating framework conditions, certain exercises and strategies can be used to promote concentration. There are some pedagogical classics that can be integrated into everyday family life with little effort:

Number chains: Starting with a number that the child should remember, the next ones are added like pearls on a string. If everyone is still remembered the next day, another number is added.
Alphabet backwards: If the ABC is recited backwards or only every second letter of it, full concentration is required.
Fishing words: From a read aloud book or radio play, certain predetermined words such as "but" or "because" are fished out. This also works with learning content from textbooks.
Sitting still: Silence is a prerequisite for concentration. It starts with a very short period of time for the child to sit still. Step by step it is extended.
In addition, concentration exercises can also be coupled with movement, which simultaneously trains motor skills.

Children respond differently to concentration exercises

As effective as classical concentration exercises can be - the new media have long since outstripped them. According to a study, about half of all children have the most fun when they learn on a computer, smartphone or tablet. Computer programs should not be prematurely demonized. For example, there are strategy games that are captivating and as a pleasant side effect improve memory. Asian martial arts such as karate and taekwondo also help to increase concentration, according to educationalists. At the same time, mindfulness is promoted. It is to be noted that each child responds individually to the individual strategies. Independently of it problem-free vegetable medicines and food auxiliary means can be used, in order to support the power of concentration. The range extends from Bach flowers to preparations with gingko extracts and omega-3 fatty acids, which are well tolerated by children. An overview can be found in the shop pharmacy.

Bottom line

Lack of concentration becomes a problem when the child is no longer able to focus on an important situation. There are children who suffer from disorders such as ADHD or hyperkinetic syndrome and need medical help and special support. However, the majority of children with concentration disorders can be helped if their everyday lives are structured accordingly and a good mixture of fun exercises is woven into them again and again.

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[This is a translation of the German original article: Was Kindern bei Konzentrationsproblemen hilft]

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