14 Ways to Help Your Child Focus in School

Today, many children face difficulties maintaining concentration due to various factors such as distractions, lack of interest, or underlying issues. Concentration can significantly influence a child’s learning experience, and understanding the reasons behind their struggles is the first step toward improvement.

This article explores these challenges and provides 14 practical tips on how to help your child focus in school. By implementing these strategies, parents can create a supportive environment that fosters improved concentration, helping their children to achieve their full potential in the educational setting.

Before delving into how to help your child focus in school, understanding the reasons behind this can provide valuable insights into effectively addressing this challenge.

Table Of Contents

Why Is It Hard for My Child to Concentrate at School?
14 Tips to Help Your Child Focus in School
Enrol Your Child at UNIS Hanoi Today!

Why Is It Hard for My Child to Concentrate at School?

There are many reasons why children find it hard to concentrate, such as anxiety, boredom, lack of sleep, and more.

Here are several factors that may contribute to your child’s difficulty in concentrating:

Lack of Challenge: Children may lose focus if the school material fails to engage their intellectual curiosity or challenge their abilities.
Distractions: External stimuli such as noise, visual distractions, or discomfort can disrupt a child’s concentration during lessons.
School Anxiety: Anxiety related to academic performance, social interactions, or other school-related stressors can impair a child’s ability to concentrate.
Insufficient Sleep: Inadequate rest can lead to fatigue and diminished cognitive function, hindering a child’s ability to focus during school hours.
Inadequate Understanding of the Material: Difficulty comprehending the lesson content may lead to frustration and disengagement, which can impact concentration.
Lack of Patience: Some children may struggle to maintain focus due to impatience or a low tolerance for frustration when confronted with challenging tasks.
Inadequate Understanding of the Material: A mismatch between the child’s preferred learning style and the teaching approach used in the classroom can hinder concentration.
Learning Disabilities: Conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or oral/written language disorders can significantly affect a child’s ability to concentrate and comprehend academic material.

14 Tips to Help Your Child Focus in School

Struggling to understand “how to help my child focus in school”? You’re not alone. Many parents face this challenge, but you can make a significant difference with the right strategies. Here are 14 practical tips to improve your child’s concentration and academic performance.

1. Set and Let Your Children Follow a Working Schedule

Establishing a consistent working schedule is an excellent way to help children focus. Young children, particularly those aged 4-5, can generally concentrate for only 5 to 20 minutes at a time, depending on the nature of the task. New or challenging tasks may reduce their attention span, whereas enjoyable activities might extend.

Moreover, it helps children understand and adapt to the routine, enhancing their ability to concentrate on schoolwork. The purpose is to ensure their schedule includes time for challenging and enjoyable activities to balance their focus effectively.

2. Encourage Them to Focus on One Task at A Time

While multitasking is often praised in adult contexts, research indicates it significantly reduces concentration and diminishes overall performance. Emphasising the importance of mindfulness, children should be encouraged to focus on one task at a time.

For instance, younger children can sing the alphabet while looking at the letters, whereas older children can tackle one long division problem at a time without worrying about subsequent tasks. This approach not only improves concentration but also enhances the quality of their work.

3. Establish a Designated Homework Area and Schedule

Creating a specific homework area free from distractions will boost concentration. Multitasking, such as having the TV on or the phone nearby, impairs focus. A quiet, dedicated workspace with the necessary tools and resources can help children concentrate better.

For younger children, parental monitoring programs can control internet usage, instead, older children can benefit from self-monitoring software, fostering independence and better time management skills.

4. Incorporate Scheduled Breaks Into Study Sessions

Incorporating regular breaks into study sessions can help maintain high concentration levels. Continuous studying can lead to mental fatigue, making it harder for children to stay focused.

Short breaks allow them to rest and recharge. A snack or play break can benefit younger children, while older children prefer a brief social interaction or leisure activity. These breaks help sustain attention and improve overall productivity.

5. Teach Your Child Relaxation Techniques

Teaching children relaxation techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing, helps slow the heart rate and clear the mind, reducing the anxiety that often accompanies challenging tasks.

Relaxation methods foster a calmer, more focused mindset by making tasks feel more approachable and less overwhelming. How to help your child focus in school is to encourage children to tackle difficult activities with greater confidence and concentration.

6. Divide Large Tasks Into Smaller & Achievable Steps

Breaking down large tasks into smaller, manageable steps makes them less overwhelming and more approachable for children. For example, when learning to tie shoes, focus first on mastering the initial knot, then gradually move on to creating loops.

Similarly, setting a timer for short intervals can help children organise their work, such as writing down facts about a subject within a specified time. This strategy builds concentration by making tasks more structured and achievable.

7. Encourage Your Child to Be Mindful and Present

Encouraging mindfulness can help children manage distractions and improve concentration. Activities that promote mindfulness, such as playing observation games like “I spy,” listening attentively to song lyrics, or practising yoga, can enhance their ability to stay present and focused.

These exercises help children clear away internal distractions, such as physical sensations or entertaining memories, improving their overall concentration and cognitive abilities.

8. Ensure Your Child Sleeps Enough and Eats Healthy

Adequate sleep and a healthy diet are fundamental for maintaining a child’s focus in school. A consistent bedtime routine ensures children get the recommended nine hours of sleep, which is crucial for their cognitive function and overall well-being.

A balanced diet provides the necessary nutrients for brain health, enhancing the ability to concentrate and perform academically. Ensuring children are well-rested and properly nourished is essential for optimal focus and behaviour in school.

9. Encourage Your Child to Exercise Regularly

Regular physical activity is linked to improved academic performance and concentration. Exercise reduces symptoms of depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also boosts immune health, leading to fewer illnesses and better school attendance.

Encouraging children to walk, cycle, or participate in family sports and assigning physical chores promotes regular exercise. These activities enhance physical health and improve cognitive function and concentration in school.

10. Teach Your Child Organisational Skills

Simple strategies, such as labelling bins for toys and using colour-coded drawers, can help children organise their belongings.

Ensuring they have everything ready for the next day before bedtime reduces morning stress and promotes a sense of preparedness. Establishing and sticking to these systems can significantly enhance a child’s ability to stay organised and concentrate on tasks.

11. Offer Emotional Support for Your Child

How to help your child focus in school involves providing them with emotional support. Acknowledging their feelings and using positive reinforcement can make tasks seem less overwhelming. Praising their efforts and achievements encourages them to stay on task.

Managing your stress and maintaining a calm demeanour sets a positive example. Ensuring your child feels understood and supported creates a conducive environment for concentration and learning, reducing anxiety and enhancing their ability to focus.

12. Let Them Try Coding

Introducing coding to children offers a multifaceted approach to how to help your child focus in school. The complex nature of designing, writing, and debugging programs engages sustained attention, logical reasoning, and working memory.

As children become accustomed to focusing on coding tasks, they learn to concentrate on one activity at a time, reducing the tendency to multitask. They can transfer these concentration skills to other academic and non-academic tasks as they become proficient in coding.

13. Stimulate Cognitive Development with Games/Fun Activities

Engaging children in activities that stimulate cognitive development can enhance their focus and learning capacity. Cognitive skills encompass sustained attention, auditory processing, and logical reasoning. Games and activities such as crossword puzzles, chess, and memory card games can help develop these skills.

By consistently practising these activities, children improve their ability to process, analyse, and understand new information, reducing frustration with new subjects and encouraging sustained concentration.

14. Encourage Them to Take Part in Problem-Solving Activities

An effective approach for how to help your child focus in school involves incorporating problem-solving activities to enhance their concentration and cognitive abilities. Jenga and card games foster critical thinking and analytical abilities. These activities teach children to identify problems, analyse situations, and develop effective solutions.

By regularly practising these skills, children become more adept at identifying problems, finding solutions, and maintaining focus and perseverance.

At UNIS Hanoi, we comprehend how to help your child focus in school and apply the abovementioned techniques to our education approach. UNIS Hanoi School’s educational philosophy and practices align closely with the effective strategies for child development and academic success outlined by the UNIS Hanoi framework.

Implementing the Primary Years Programme (PYP), which targets students aged 3 to 12, underscores UNIS Hanoi’s commitment to nurturing the whole child as an active inquirer within and beyond.

Key value propositions of UNIS Hanoi include:

Structured Schedules and Routines: UNIS Hanoi’s PYP framework ensures a balanced and organised approach to learning, encouraging students to follow structured schedules that promote consistent focus and academic discipline.
Holistic Development: The PYP curriculum emphasises the development of knowledge, skills, conceptual understanding, attitudes, and actions. This comprehensive approach ensures that students grow intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically.
Inquiry-Based Learning: UNIS Hanoi’s focus on process-led, inquiry-based learning units encourages students to engage actively with the world around them, fostering curiosity and independent thinking.
Personalised Learning: Recognising that education is a process rather than a race, UNIS Hanoi tailors the learning journey to each child’s unique pace and interests. This personalised approach helps students progress effectively and develop a love for lifelong learning.
Professional Educators: The school is staffed with highly professional teachers who model effective habits of mind and are dedicated to continuous learning. These teachers provide students with exemplary role models.

Parental Partnership: UNIS Hanoi values strong partnerships with parents, involving them in the educational process through regular communication, parent-teacher conferences, and workshops. This collaborative approach ensures that each child’s needs are met comprehensively.
Regular Breaks and Physical Activity: The school’s co-curricular activities, including sports and arts programmes, integrate regular physical exercise and creative outlets, aligning with incorporating scheduled breaks to maintain cognitive function.
Early Childhood Focus: UNIS Hanoi acknowledges the critical importance of the formative years, particularly from birth to age 6. The school invests in rich learning environments and experiences that harness young children’s natural curiosity and capacity for new experiences.
Leadership and Social Skills: Through student councils and varied co-curricular programmes, UNIS Hanoi nurtures leadership skills and social development, preparing students to be engaged members of the school community and the wider world.

These value propositions demonstrate UNIS Hanoi School’s alignment with proven child development strategies, ensuring that students are well-equipped to focus, succeed academically, and develop into well-rounded individuals.

Enrol Your Child at UNIS Hanoi Today!

Understanding how to help your child focus in school is essential for their academic journey. UNIS Hanoi, a prestigious international school, fosters students’ success through a rigorous curriculum and a holistic educational approach. Our graduates gain acceptance to top universities worldwide, including Ivy League schools and leading institutions in the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

For a transformative educational experience that enhances your child’s focus and academic potential, apply to UNIS Hanoi today to secure your child’s bright future!

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How to Help Your Child Focus in School