- According to the BMC Psychology magazine, fast-paced cartoons bypass an important part of the brain and heavily stimulate a preschooler’s head.
- Research from the journal Frontiers in Psychology confirms that too much screen time has a very clear link with attention problems in young children
- Simply turning off the TV playing in the background is the simplest step to combat your child’s lack of concentration
- Putting excess playing toys in the closet and providing simple wooden blocks makes it much easier for your toddler to concentrate naturally
Why do quick cartoons spoil a child’s concentration? Reasons
You’ve probably noticed that your toddler can’t sit still after watching TV and keeps changing toys. The reason is often not the fact of watching it, but what programs we turn on to our children. Fast cartoons in which the action is fast and colorful scenes change in a fraction of a second can greatly stimulate a preschooler’s little head..
As we can read in the BMC Psychology magazine, such dynamic animations engage only those parts of the brain that reflexively respond to simple sounds and flashes. At the same time, they bypass the prefrontal cortex, which is exactly the part that learns patience and conscious attention on one task. As a result, the child gets used to the constant carousel of stimuli, which makes it very difficult for him later focusing on simple fun.
Problems with attention in a preschooler. Is it always the TV’s fault?
According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, spending long hours in front of a tablet or TV is clearly related to attention problems in children aged 3 to 5 years. The truth is, however, that it is difficult to clearly assess what came first here, because children with naturally weaker concentration may simply be more willing to escape into this comfortable digital world. To break this vicious circle, it is worth considering setting clear limits on screen time at home, which will make it easier for us to control the entire situation. It may also be a good idea to introduce specific moments without electronics, for example when eating dinner together at the table. This habit is great for calming down the whole family and giving them space to talk freely without a phone in hand.
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How to effectively practice concentration in a small child? Rules
Patience is a skill that we can slowly develop with our child during ordinary, everyday life. According to HealthyWA’s suggestions, to help your toddler develop attention, it is worth following a few simple steps:
- A good step would be to turn off the TV playing in the background and find a quiet, tidy place to play together
- it is worth letting your toddler run around in the yard before asking him to calmly arrange the blocks at the table
- it is good to choose simple board games and puzzles adapted to the child’s age, so that the task is not too difficult or too boring for him
- dividing tasks and introducing the principle of alternation by saying loudly “now it’s my turn, now it’s your turn” works great
It is also worth remembering to simply notice the efforts and praise your child for the effort. Even if a child does not finish his building or puzzle, a kind word and appreciation of his willingness will encourage him to try again without unnecessary anger and frustration.
Lack of patience with toys. Why is your toddler bored?
As parents, we often buy gadgets that play and light up for our children, secretly hoping that they will keep our toddler occupied for a long time. However, the reality is different, and after just a few minutes the toddler throws the new thing into the corner, loudly demanding another form of entertainment. This behavior most often appears when the surrounding environment is too chaotic and the little head simply has too many choices in front of it.
Young children learn new skills best through tedious, repeated repetition of the same, simple movements. Ordinary wooden sorters with holes, put-on cups or simple picture matching games they force little hands to work and the mind to look for solutions, unlike flashy toys that do everything for the child. When we hide excess colorful items in the closet and leave one thing behind, the child instinctively picks up the right rhythm and learns natural concentration much faster.
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