Top 5 Tips to Help Your Child's Attention
Tip 1
Listening rules- use the listening rules – explain to your child about why each is important- here are some visuals to help-
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Looking at someone helps you to see extra cues, for example pointing when someone says ‘put your shoes over there’, it also lets the teacher know you are listening. |
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It is very important to switch your ears on, they are what you listen with! |
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If you are talking then you won't be able to listen. |
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If our hands are fidgeting it is, likely we are either making noise which makes hearing more difficult or we are looking at them and this makes looking difficult. |
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Like our hands being still, sitting well keeps our feet and body still so we are not making noise. |
Tip 2
Visual attention- get child to look at you and visually prompt instructions, using items or gestures to help support language.
e.g. can you get your coat and come back to me? Mime a coat being put on and gesture back to me.
Tip 3
Auditory attention – ask child to repeat instruction back to you, chunk instructions into manageable sections/stages.
e.g. instead of can you do your homework, then tidy your room then bring me your clothes? Just ask for homework, once finished then ask them to tidy room; finishing one task before starting another.
Tip 4
Fidgets- for long periods of listening or when waiting, use some easy to carry simple fidgets like- tangle twist, balloon filled with flour, coosh ball, squishy toy- something light and safe to keep hands busy while little ears listen.
Tip 5
Turn taking- play games that encourage turn taking, cards/ Eye Spy/Connect 4 or other board games.