By Megan Shake, MSW, LCSW – October 23, 2024 –

How long is your child’s attention span? Many people assume children’s attention spans should be longer than they actually are. You might be surprised to learn that the average is generally two minutes per year of age.

So, if your child is five years old, their attention span is about 10 minutes. Like anything else a child learns, it takes time and practice to help develop their attention span. It is not something that can be forced or happen overnight.

As parents and caregivers, we may become frustrated when a child won’t sit still or focus on a task for a period of time, but it is important to remember where the child’s development stands. Consider if their inattention is developmentally typical or not. Sometimes our expectations for children’s attention spans are high, but their brains may not be ready yet. After all, the brain is not fully developed until the age of 25 or even 30, so it is no surprise that they have a lot of room for growth.

The following are ways to help support the development of your child’s attention span.

Celebrate small wins each time your child stays on task. Positive words and encouragement go a long way to motivate a child. Provide activities that encourage thinking, such as a puzzle, memory game, or activity book.

It’s important to note that screen time does not help develop attention spans. It may seem like it does since the child is sitting still, but it doesn’t provide sufficient practice, as the brain isn’t doing the work during this time. In fact, it may have the opposite effect. Some studies show that increased screen time has even been linked to reduced attention spans and concentration skills.

Other helpful ideas include breaking larger tasks into smaller ones, keeping instructions clear and simple, removing distractions, and following consistent routines. Also remember that context is a big factor. Consider situational and physical aspects such as how the child is feeling, what time of day it is, if it is a noisy environment, if they are hungry, tired, and so forth.

Additionally, providing breaks is extremely important. Breaks help kids rest, regulate, reset, and refocus their attention. While there are countless brain break ideas out there, some include various breathing techniques, guided meditations, yoga, stretching, playing, and going outside. 

Finally, if you feel that your child is struggling with their attention span beyond what you feel you can support with these strategies or beyond what is typical for their age, don’t be afraid to reach out to your child’s doctor or others to seek professional help.