Do a concentration workout

Children that have problems focusing benefit greatly from concentration exercises. This mental exercise is focusing entirely on a task for a set period of time.

Try these things:

• Draw or doodle for 15 minutes.
• Spend a few minutes tossing a balloon or small ball with another person.
• Set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes. Limit your blinking as much as you can.
  Suck on a lollipop or hard candy until it’s gone — resist the urge to bite into it. Pay attention to the taste, how the candy feels on your tongue, and how long it takes you to finish it.

Ask your child to write a brief summary or draw a picture of how they felt after doing one of the exercises. Young children can express their emotions verbally. Talking about where they lost concentration and how they managed to refocus can help them develop these skills for use in daily tasks. Adults may also benefit from a focus exercise, so feel free to try it out for yourself.