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12 Activities For Increasing Attention Span With Toddlers & Preschoolers
This list has attention-increasing activities that I use here at my playschool and with my own twin toddlers.
You will find some super simple activities that will increase your toddler or preschooler’s attention span.
All you’ll need to do is supply them with these activities or invite them to play with you. Then, let their curious and rapidly developing brain take over. Simple!
With time and repetition, you will see your child’s focus and skill grow!
1. Matching Games
Matching games can be an excellent tool for improving a toddler’s attention span for a few reasons. First, they require focus and concentration to complete successfully. In order to match the correct pairs, toddlers need to pay attention to the details of each item and remember where they saw each one. This repetition and memorization can help strengthen their attention span over time.
Additionally, matching games can be engaging and fun for toddlers, which can help motivate them to stay focused for longer periods of time. They offer a sense of accomplishment when the child successfully matches a pair, which can be a great confidence booster and encourage them to keep trying.
Finally, matching games can be adjusted to suit the child’s developmental level, allowing them to gradually increase the difficulty as they get better at the game. This can provide a sense of challenge and keep the child engaged and focused on the task at hand.
Matching games to check out on Amazon:
- This is a great starter matching game
- This is a great next level matching game
2. I Spy
I Spy is an excellent game for toddlers because it helps to develop their attention span and observational skills. Toddlers have a natural curiosity about the world around them, and the game of I Spy allows them to explore their environment and focus on specific details.
By playing I Spy, toddlers are encouraged to pay attention to the objects in their surroundings, which helps to improve their concentration and visual discrimination skills. The game also helps to build their vocabulary and language skills as they learn to describe the objects they are looking at.
Furthermore, I Spy is a simple game that can be played anywhere, at any time, with no special equipment required. This makes it an excellent activity for parents to engage their children in when they are out and about, waiting in line, or traveling.
Overall, I Spy is a great game for toddlers as it not only helps to improve their attention span and observational skills but also provides a fun and interactive way for them to learn about the world around them.
3. Threading
Threading, also known as stringing or lacing, is a great game for preschoolers because it helps to develop their attention span and hand-eye coordination. At this age, children’s attention spans are still developing, and they can get easily distracted or bored. However, threading provides a fun and engaging way for them to focus their attention on a specific task.
By threading beads or other small objects onto a string or shoelace, preschoolers are also improving their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. They must use their hands to pick up the small objects and thread them onto the string, which requires a lot of concentration and precision.
Threading can also be a great way to encourage creativity and imagination in preschoolers. They can choose different colors and shapes of beads, and create patterns or designs as they thread them onto the string.
Overall, threading is a simple yet effective game that can help preschoolers develop their attention span, hand-eye coordination, and creativity in a fun and engaging way.
Threading activity to check out:
4. Cooking Together
Cooking together is a great activity for preschoolers because it is a fun and interactive way to keep their attention focused for an extended period of time. Cooking requires following directions, measuring ingredients, and collaborating with others to create a finished product. All of these tasks are not only engaging, but also help to develop important cognitive and social skills in young children.
When children cook with others, they have the opportunity to practice communication and collaboration skills. They learn to take turns, share materials, and work together towards a common goal. These skills are essential for success in school and in life.
In addition, cooking provides a sensory experience that can help preschoolers develop fine motor skills. Measuring, mixing, and stirring ingredients all require hand-eye coordination and precise movements. This type of hands-on learning can be especially beneficial for children who struggle with traditional classroom activities that require sitting still and listening.
Overall, cooking together is a great way to keep preschoolers engaged and learning while having fun. It can help to build important skills and foster a love of learning that will last a lifetime.
Toddler Cookbook to check out on Amazon:
- Little Helpers Toddler Cookbook
5. Puzzles
Puzzles are an excellent way to help preschoolers improve their attention spans. This is because puzzles require a child to focus on a task for an extended period of time. When a child is focused on a puzzle, they are using their problem-solving skills to figure out how to complete it.
This type of activity requires concentration, patience, and persistence.
The more a child practices these skills, the better their attention span becomes.
Additionally, puzzles offer a sense of accomplishment when completed, which encourages children to stay engaged and motivated.
As children learn to complete increasingly complex puzzles, they develop their ability to concentrate for longer periods of time.
This newfound ability also translates to other areas of their lives, such as schoolwork, where they need to concentrate for extended periods of time.
In summary, puzzles are an excellent tool for improving preschoolers’ attention spans. By practicing problem-solving, concentration, and persistence, children develop the skills they need to focus and succeed in all areas of their lives.
6. Watching Clouds
Watching clouds is a great activity for toddlers because it helps to develop their attention span. Toddlers have a natural curiosity about the world around them, and cloud watching provides a great opportunity to explore the environment.
When toddlers watch clouds, they are encouraged to focus on one thing for an extended period of time. This helps to improve their ability to concentrate and stay attentive. Additionally, cloud watching is a peaceful and calming activity which can help to reduce stress and anxiety in toddlers.
Cloud watching also promotes creativity and imagination in toddlers. As they watch the shapes and patterns of the clouds, they can use their imaginations to see different things and tell stories about what they see. This helps to develop their cognitive and language skills.
Overall, watching clouds is a fun and beneficial activity for toddlers. It helps to develop their attention span, creativity, and imagination while providing a peaceful and calming experience for them.
7. Listening To Audiobooks
Listening to audiobooks can be a great way to help improve a preschooler’s attention span. One reason for this is that audiobooks can be very engaging and entertaining, which can help keep a child’s interest for longer periods of time. Audiobooks can also help to improve a child’s language skills and vocabulary, which can help them to better understand and engage with the world around them.
In addition, audiobooks can be a great way to help children develop their listening skills. By listening to stories and other types of content, children can learn to pay attention to details and follow along with complex narratives. This can be especially helpful for preschoolers who may have difficulty with these skills.
Overall, listening to audiobooks can be a fun and effective way to help preschoolers improve their attention span and develop important language and listening skills. It’s important to choose age-appropriate content and to limit screen time, but audiobooks can be a great addition to any child’s daily routine.
Some beloved toddler audiobooks on Amazon to check out:
- The Whale & The Snail Toddler Audiobook
- Mighty Mighty Construction Site Toddler Audiobook
- 365 Bedtime Stories Toddler Audiobook
8. Unstructured Outdoor Play
Unstructured outdoor play is great for toddler attention span because it allows children to explore their environment and engage in open-ended play.
In contrast to structured activities, unstructured play allows toddlers to take the lead and use their imagination. This type of play helps to develop a child’s creativity and problem-solving skills, which can lead to a longer attention span and improved academic performance.
Playing outside also provides a sensory-rich environment that can help toddlers develop their motor skills and coordination.
For example, running, jumping, and climbing all require balance and coordination, which can be improved through regular outdoor play.
Additionally, outdoor play exposes children to new sights, sounds, and textures, which can help them develop their sensory processing abilities.
Overall, unstructured outdoor play is an excellent way to support toddler attention span and cognitive development.
By allowing children to explore their environment and engage in open-ended play, parents and caregivers can help to foster curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.
9. Dancing (and listening to music)
Dancing is not only a fun activity for toddlers, but it can also be incredibly beneficial for their physical and mental development. One of the main benefits of dancing for toddlers is that it can help increase their attention span.
When toddlers dance, they have to focus on the music, their movements, and their surroundings. This requires concentration and attention, which can help improve their ability to focus for longer periods of time. Additionally, dancing can help improve their coordination and balance, which can also contribute to better attention and focus.
Moreover, dancing is a great way for toddlers to express themselves and release their energy in a positive way. By allowing them to move freely and creatively, they can develop self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-esteem, which can also contribute to better attention and focus.
In conclusion, dancing is a wonderful activity for toddlers that can not only help improve their physical health but also their mental development. By increasing their attention span, coordination, and self-awareness, dancing can help set them up for success later in life.
10. Playing With Play-doh, Kinetic Sand, and/or Magnet tiles
Playing with sensory toys such as Play-Doh, kinetic sand, and/or magnet tiles, can be a great activity for toddlers to help improve their attention span in a number of ways.
First, these types of activities allow them to engage in a tactile experience, which can help to develop their sensory processing skills.
This can help to improve their ability to focus on tasks and to filter out distractions.
In addition, playing with Play-Doh, sand, or magnet tiles, can be a very open-ended activity, which means that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to play with it.
This can help to encourage toddlers to be creative and to use their imaginations, which can also help to improve their attention span and focus.
Finally, playing with Play-Doh, kinetic sand, and/or magnet tiles, can be a very calming activity, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
This can help to improve a toddler’s ability to concentrate and pay attention to what they are doing.
Overall, playing with these types of materials can be a great way to help improve a toddler’s attention span and focus, while also providing them with a fun and creative outlet for their energy.
11. Sorting Games
Sorting objects is an excellent activity for toddlers because it helps develop their cognitive skills and improves their attention span. Toddlers are naturally curious and love to explore their environment, and sorting objects can give them the opportunity to do so.
When toddlers sort objects, they have to use their brain to categorize and group items based on their similarities and differences. This process helps them develop important cognitive skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making.
As they sort, they also learn to pay attention to details and develop their ability to concentrate and focus for longer periods.
In addition to cognitive benefits, sorting objects also helps toddlers develop their fine motor skills as they manipulate the objects with their hands.
It can also be a fun and engaging activity that encourages social interaction and cooperation when done with others.
Overall, sorting objects is an excellent activity for toddlers that provides numerous benefits for their cognitive and physical development.
By incorporating sorting activities into your toddler’s playtime, you can help them build their attention span and prepare them for future learning.
Sorting games for toddlers to check out on Amazon:
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12. Cutting/Scissor Practice
Cutting practice is an excellent activity for preschoolers to improve their attention span because it requires focus, concentration, and hand-eye coordination.
When children are cutting, they need to hold the scissors correctly, follow a line, and cut along a specific path. These actions require a lot of attention and concentration, which helps to develop their focus over time.
Cutting practice also helps to improve fine motor skills, which are essential for many everyday activities such as writing, drawing, and playing with small toys.
As children practice cutting, they develop their hand strength and dexterity, which allows them to perform more complex tasks with ease.
In summary, cutting practice is an excellent activity for improving the attention span of preschoolers because it requires focus and concentration, helps to develop fine motor skills, and is a fun and engaging activity for children to participate in.
Cutting supplies for toddlers to check out on Amazon:
Final Words On Activities For Increasing Attention Span With Toddlers & Preschoolers
Increasing your toddler or preschoolers attention span can be more simple than you think by simply exposing your child to certin activities, like the ones listed above!
Toddlers and preschoolers learn very fast because their brains are in a rapid stage of development.
During this stage, their brains are making more connections than at any other time in their life.
These connections are formed through experiences and interactions with their environment and the people around them, so regularly engaging in activities like the ones listed above, can help them learn and increase attention span.
Toddlers and preschoolers learn fast because they have a lot of free time to play and explore.
Play is an essential part of learning for young children, as it helps them develop their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills.
Overall, because toddlers and preschoolers developing brains are highly receptive to new information, they are motivated to learn, and they have ample opportunities to play and explore, they can be given fun activities each day that will increase their attention span as they play.
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