FootieBugs develops children’s concentration
My child won’t do as they are told…
At FootieBugs we work with children aged 3-9 years old. However we not only work with the children but also the parents. Our regular contact with parents mean that our coaches often feedback and we notice some interesting trends.
One of the most common trends is that ‘my child struggles to concentrate.’ Sometimes parents are so worried by this perceived problem that they are almost reluctant to let their child participate in a class. They are concerned their child is ‘not ready’ “Sean doesn’t always follow instructions”, or “Faye will often just do want she wants and that will ruin the class.”
The concern these parents have for how their child may have a negative impact on the class for others is commendable but at FootieBugs we have great news for them. All children struggle to concentrate. We are able to tell parents “Your concerns are totally normal and we have done the research to make sure our classes develop this part of the brain.”
Toddlers and young children’s brains work differently to those of fully grown adults. Amazingly adults can find this a very difficult concept to grasp. The truth is toddlers and young children are so interested and excited in their surroundings that their innate desire to explore the world around them means that sitting in one place for an extended period of time is of little interest to them. Young children are notoriously self-directed, quite simply they have not yet developed their brains to fully understand social norms. A young child is still developing their emotional intelligence and as such they lose the urge to stay involved once their interest has faded.
We love this about young children. At FootieBugs we work with children to help them retain this fascination with the world and we believe it is our job to be entertaining and inspire the child to engage throughout the whole session. Yes young children may struggle to sit and listen for extended periods of time, but FootieBugs engages their imagination and keeps them busy physically.
Developing the ability to concentrate…
Young children are constantly on the move and with boundless energy move quickly from one activity to the next. They have so much energy they are actually hit with an overwhelming urge to move onto something else. Again this is almost incomprehensible to adults.
As a child matures their attention span develops and matures over time.
Passive to active – When your child was a baby they could only look at and interact with objects directly in their line of sight. As a toddler they then develop the ability to look around and choose objects. As they continue to grow they will begin to make choices. It is then up to the adult to help the child make the right decisions.
Unsystematic to systematic searching – A baby will just gaze at objects in a haphazard way and then put the other end in their mouth. As a baby becomes a toddler it will begin to investigate the object systematically and methodically. As they continue to grow, they will begin to make choices on what they search for, becoming more able to discern what is and what is not of interest to them.
Broad to selective – A baby struggles with filtering out other sources of information. Toddlers however are able to concentrate more selectively. Eventually children are able to multi-task, after all even young children can play a DS and watch television at the same time.
What can parents do to help improve concentration?
- Minimise distractions
- Avoid games and television that foster short attention spans
- Actively encourage children to look for things
- Create a quiet area
- Keep the house tidy
- Develop with the child, as a child progresses so must the parent
- Encourage use of eye contact
FootieBugs and Concentration
The ability to concentrate is a key life skill. It is also an important skill in becoming a good footballer. FootieBugs classes are specially designed to improve concentration for young children.
