Three tools for children (and adults) to focus better
Three Tools for Focusing
Learning the skill of focus is like going to the gym. Like how children participate in activities with their football team, playing basketball or practicing writing–all of these activities rely on the ability to focus. So improving your ability to focus becomes a meta tool you can apply to any skill or problem in life. This is why it is highly important for parents to give their kids the knowledge about how their mind works, and how to make it focus efficiently and consistently. The mind is highly plastic and any skill you might want to learn is completely within the power of you to learn.
Now, remember back when you were a child. How your focus would wander and be loosely held on things you did not deem important or interesting. This can simply be explained by how deep your interest in the thing was–did you want to pursue the thing for its own sake or was it entirely forced? Was it play or was it work? Life and the skills we develop is created in the intersection of doing something we are naturally inclined to do, and something we think is a good choice to do. But for young minds, focusing hard enough to try out and learn these new skills is hard and demanding. But learning how to focus improves kids abilities to explore their interests and learn the skills they need to get to their goals easier. Also helping them explore who they are faster.
In the common school systems globally there currently exists very little education based on neuroscience about how to focus. Interestingly, there is a rich and vast field of knowledge out there about how to focus, how to think about focusing, and what makes it easier and controllable. For kids, we need to distill down what the science explores and help them understand the tools they can access through practicing. From doing focusing practicing, to focusing intervals, to doing breathing, all of these tools are free, simple and super powerful.
Let's go through three of the most powerful tools children (and adults: this is the opportunity to shine as a role model) can use for focusing:
1. Using a Focus Timer
A countdown timer you activate when you are doing a certain task, or focusing on learning something. Focus timers create a higher level of urgency to focus, and create the right mental chemical cocktail to support focus. Focus timers are a powerful tool to force attention away from distractions (apps, and devices) and onto one task for the duration of the session.
Research strongly backs this approach. A 2023 study comparing systematic breaks with self-regulated breaks found that children using predetermined intervals (like the Pomodoro technique: 25 minutes of focused activity (called a "pomodoro"), followed by a short break of about 5 minutes) showed significantly better concentration, higher motivation, and less fatigue than those who chose their own break times. Even more compelling, a study with first-graders found that simply introducing a timer increased math performance from 0.85 to 2.03 problems per minute and reading performance from 1.36 to 4.49 responses per minute.
Age-appropriate timer settings:
Ages 6-8: 10-minute focus blocks with 5-minute active breaks
Ages 9-10: 15-minute blocks with 5-minute breaks
Ages 11-12: 20-25 minute blocks with 5-minute breaks
The key is that systematic breaks work better than letting children decide when to take breaks themselves - their self-regulation skills are still developing, so external structure helps tremendously. These breaks can be fun: jumping, drawing, a snack, or something that demand little brain power.
2. Sleep: The Foundation of Focus
Getting quality sleep will make it easier for children to focus. Wake up naturally and go to bed same time every day to support your kids sleep hygiene.
The science here is particularly striking. A landmark NIH study of over 4,000 children found that those sleeping less than 9 hours per night had reduced grey matter in brain areas responsible for attention, memory, and inhibition control – differences that persisted two years later. Children need 9-11 hours of sleep per night, yet up to 50% fail to meet these recommendations.
Even small improvements make a big difference. Research shows that extending children's sleep by just 35 minutes per night leads to meaningful improvements in attention and memory. Students with C, D, or F grades average 25-30 minutes less sleep per weeknight than A/B students.
Practical sleep tips based on research:
Maintain consistent bedtime and wake times, even on weekends
Remove screens 1-2 hours before bed (children show an 88% decrease in melatonin with pre-bedtime light exposure)
Keep bedrooms cool, dark, and quiet
Create a calming bedtime routine lasting 20-30 minutes
3. Encourage and Reward Effort
Give your kid words and energy of encouragement for their efforts that goes into learning new things, focusing on activities and reading up on interests. Your words of encouragement become virtuous cycles where you motivate further tries and effort into something worthwhile. The key is to encourage the taking of initiative, then provide support resources, attention and wisdom, giving them solid footing while exploring.
The distinction between how you motivate matters enormously. Carol Dweck's groundbreaking research shows that praising intelligence (“You're so smart!”) actually undermines children's willingness to tackle challenges and persist through difficulty. Instead, reward focusing on effort, strategies, reasoning, and improvement (“I saw you tried five times before you finally got it right. Well done!”). This builds the resilience muscle and the ability to attend hard things.
Examples of effective process praise:
“I noticed how you kept trying different strategies until you solved that problem!”
“Your focus really improved when you took that short break - good thinking!”
“You worked so hard on that, even when it got challenging. That's how your brain grows stronger!”
A longitudinal study found that children who received process praise as toddlers showed better academic achievement five years later in elementary school. The message children internalize is crucial: abilities develop through practice, and struggle represents brain growth rather than inadequacy. This is the essence of a growth mindset: “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” — Carol S. Dweck
Beyond These Three Tools: What Else Helps
While focus timers, sleep, and encouragement form a powerful foundation, research reveals additional strategies that significantly boost children's attention:
Physical Activity Breaks: Brief movement breaks show the largest effect sizes of any intervention. Just 3-5 minutes of movement improves on-task behavior more than almost any other educational intervention. Try quick dance breaks, stretching routines, or simple exercises between focus sessions. To have peace of mind, you first have to have peace of body.
Environmental Design: Classroom noise averages 77 decibels - more than twice the WHO recommended 35 decibels for optimal learning. At home you can control this: create quiet study spaces with minimal visual clutter, neutral colors, and good lighting to support sustained attention.
Meta-cognitive Strategies: Teaching children to think about their thinking produces exceptional results. Simple techniques like having children plan their approach before starting, checking their progress midway, and reflecting on what worked afterward can add 7 months of academic progress. Make a simple list of what you’re working on, then cross of each item one by one when done for a healthy dopamine hit.
The Neuroscience of Hope
Perhaps the most encouraging finding from neuroscience is that focus truly is a skill that improves with practice. The brain's attention networks remain highly plastic throughout childhood. Studies show that new neural pathways strengthen with just 10 daily repetitions, and focused practice creates changes in brain structure and function – increasing its power and longevity.
This means every time your child practices focusing - whether using a focus timer, getting better sleep, or responding to your encouragement - they're literally building stronger attention circuits in their brain. Focus isn't a fixed trait some children have and others don't; it's a meta-skill that every child can develop or loose over time.
Putting It All Together
Start with one tool and build from there. Perhaps begin with improving sleep, as it provides the foundation for everything else. Once sleep improves, introduce a simple timer for homework or reading time. Throughout, offer process-focused encouragement that celebrates effort and strategy use rather than outcomes.
Remember, you're not just helping your child complete today's homework - you are helping build life skills that will serve them every day. And prepare them for future challenges they must face. With patience, the right tools, and an understanding of how the brain develops, every child can strengthen their ability to focus and learn.
Alma Focus, the first tool from our Alma development will help your children focus. We believe in giving parents the science-backed tools to support their children's development. Focus is just one of many skills children can build with the right support and understanding. Focus gives them the world of opportunities.