Extend Your Toddlers Attention

 

What is Attention?

When talking about attention I mean attention in the context of COMMUNICATION. Attention is the ability to stick to something for a certain amount of time before losing interest. This could be focusing on a task, such as playing with toys or maintaining focused attention with others and participating.

What does it look like?

Interacting with others through communication. Example: back and forth interactions with toys or people. When a toddler is focused, you would see some of the following behaviors:

• The child's facial expressions show interest or concentration.
• Eye gaze is in the direction of common interests.
• The child is leaning towards the object/activity or approaching it.

Attention in the context of communication does not mean sitting and watching television for a long period of time. It would be more of a focused attention in interacting with others through communication. 

What is a Normal Attention Span? 

Average times for focused attention.

*remember these are average times and there are many factors that can influence a child's focused attention. Examples: level of interest, tired or hungry, and how novel or new it is to them.

Research tells us that a normal toddler’s attention span is on average 3-6 minutes without adult support. It can be extended with adult support.

Why is Attention Important?

Attention can be looked at as a foundational skill which other skills are built on. For example, the way that we learn how to talk is through hearing words and connecting words to meaning (i.e. If every time I hear the word, ball, this round bouncy object is here so it must be called a ball). If you have a toddler that cannot maintain attention when someone is speaking so that they can make those connections then how are they going to learn to talk?

There is a qualitative difference in learning between child one, who will sit with you while reading a book, look at the text, answer questions about the story, and talk about the pictures vs. child two, who sits and flips through the pages and is on to the next page before you can get a word in.

Child one is learning and processing more because they are exposed to more, unlike child two, who is just getting the visual buzz.

Attention is important because it is required in order to learn. If we can get a toddler to a point where their systems are regulated and they are able to sit and listen to you, then they are at a great starting point to learn something new.

The good news is that focused attention is A SKILL, and we can help our toddlers strengthen that skill through different opportunities.

What Can You Do?

We want to help toddlers who have language delays or are late talkers learn to develop their communication skills. We can start by getting them to respond to people or toys and then stretching that attention span out OVER TIME.

First we have to know what is typical for development.

Average Attention Span = The Norm: If this is the case then with adult support their attention span will increase over time. Example of adult support: While reading a book, the adult/caregiver will point to pictures, ask questions and talk about them. By doing so, your toddler will notice/see that new thing that was pointed out and then are able to stay with it longer. This is the type of support that can help them increase their attention span.                                                                                                           

Below the Average Attention Span

Toddlers that are too busy, fixate on things, or have a flat affect (not engaged in activities, or revved up enough) may need different supports put into place than those of typical development. These would be the toddlers that can't maintain attention for that average time even with supports. These toddlers have systems (brains and bodies) that are not typically developing. Even if there is just an expressive language delay then they are still not typically developing. It is important to note that with these toddlers it isn't that they don't want to maintain focus, it's that they can't. This is not a behavioral thing and this isn't any fault of the caregiver.  

If you have a toddler that fits one of these descriptions then you will want to look at the child's strengths to help them. Here are 5 things to try:

#1 Movement

Because our little ones' systems may not be fully regulated we will want to help them get regulated. We can do this through MOVEMENT. Our goal for attention is not to have the toddler be perfectly still, this is not a requirement for maintaining attention. We want them to be regulated and have some movement. Try giving them movement breaks.

A great way to regulate their systems is through different social games.

Social Game Examples: stomping and marching, playing on the playground (going down the slide), or swinging toddler in a blanket. Make sure that the child isn't just running wild but that you as the caregiver is guiding the game. Make yourself an important part of the activity.

Now, we want to strategically target some language as we are doing movement. You can do this easily by adding a verbal routine (example: saying up, up, up, DOOWWNNN as you lift them and then lower them quickly) or come up with a song as you move (example: ring around the rosie). Make sure to repeat the words as you do the actions EVERYTIME. This will help build their vocabulary and learn how words go together.

*The whole purpose is to keep your child engaged with you and moving as they are learning language.

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#2 Alternate Movement and Sitting

Start with a movement based activity such as a social game listed in #1 to get the kid settled and then do a sitting activity. If they still need a break or need to move then do another movement activity.

Example: (Puzzles) Have the puzzle pieces on one side of the room and have the child run to get a piece and then bring one back and put it in the puzzle. Talk about the puzzle piece/picture. Adjust to the need of the child by putting a tunnel, couch cushions, or a slide in the middle if they need more movement. If they are working on social skills have a family member hold the puzzle pieces so they have to get it from them.

Placemat/blanket: Place a blanket in the room and use this when they really need to learn something. This gives them a visual target for the sitting activity. Only do the sitting activity for a couple of minutes and then add movement. Have the toddler move around then come to the blanket then move again. You want to move, sit, move, sit.

*The alternating movement can help a child stay with you.

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#3 Interests

Give them a reason to listen. Do things that your toddler likes. If your toddler gets fixated on things like drawing then you can try new things that are similar drawing that they may like as well, such as playing with play dough.

Try social games, sensory play, toys, etc. Avoid the obsessive things and light up toys that play songs because the goal is to work on attention with interaction. If it is a toy that they are fixated on then they won't care if you are there or not.

*The goal is to get their attention and then expand it.

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#4 Body Contact

This can be very regulating for toddlers. Think about new borns and how great skin on skin is for them. So how would this work for a toddler? Try holding them on your lap when reading a book or sitting close to them during an activity. Give hugs, high 5's, tickles, etc.

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#5 One More

Whatever you are doing with your toddler you are going to try to get them to do one more. You are not going to increase their attention to 10 minutes in one sitting so this will take some time.

Examples:

Race track: If toddler has been pushing the button on the race track to have the cars go and you have been picking them up and putting them on the track, the one more would be that the toddler picks them up and hands them to you to put on the track. 

Puzzle: If your toddler typically only puts in 2 pieces, the next time you try to get them to do 3 and then let them go. Then the next time 4 pieces.

Clean up routine: Try to get your toddler to clean up one activity before you get out another one. 

After you have done it a couple of times with singing a song then you can say oh wheres the car, go get the car. Lets get all the balls and put them away, lets get all the books and put them on the shelf. Slowly add one more.

Reading a book: If toddler can only get through 3 pages try 4 the next time.

*You will want to get your toddlers attention by saying "one more, one more" just before they are about to move on or leave not when they are across the room. Sometimes it works so well that you can say one more one more one more and get multiple “one more’s.”

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Keep in mind: 

*Remember we want to build their attention OVER TIME. They won't have a huge attention span right away. Have them take baby steps.

*Limit screentime.

Source:

Executive Function in Preschool Age Children. Griffin, J.A, McCardie, P.E., & Freund, L.S. (2016).

Teach Me To Talk by Laura Mize, CCC-SLP