Before a child can remember a story, solve a problem, or follow a direction, their brain must stay with the task long enough to take it in. Their ability to focus, shift, and sustain attention shapes how well they absorb information, make connections, and build new skills.

However, a growing body of research points to shorter attention spans among young children, especially in the early grades. Studies of children ages 7–12 reveal measurable declines in sustained attention, including a reported 27.4% drop during continuous-focus tasks. Teachers echo these findings, noting that many students now struggle to stay engaged for more than 10–15 minutes. Oh, and did we mention that reading stamina has dropped as well?

We know what you’re thinking. “Surely, this won’t be MY child…”
But then you notice exactly how often you’ve had to repeat or remind or redirect your kid, over… and over…and over again.
And suddenly, “Is this f’n play about us?”

Attention is critical for learning because it’s the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible. Without it, nothing can truly stick.

Full Attention is Needed

When we talk about attention span, we’re really talking about sustained attention (the ability to stay focused over time). It’s the mental endurance that lets us stick with a task long enough for real learning to happen. Attention span matters for learning because:

• It determines what the brain actually learns. Attention can be seen as the first link in the learning chain (attention → understanding → memory → mastery). It operates as the brain’s filter, determining what gets processed and what gets ignored. When children can sustain focus, they’re far more likely to understand information and commit it to memory. In fact, research consistently shows that attention strengthens both memory formation and retrieval. Because kids can only learn what they notice, attention becomes the gateway to learning itself; without it, the brain can’t encode new information. When attention drifts, instructions are missed, key details slip by, and comprehension breaks down.
  
  
• It supports higher-level reasoning. Sustained attention helps kids move beyond surface‑level understanding by giving them the focus they need to connect ideas, ask questions, and solve problems. With enough attention stamina, they can notice patterns, persist through challenges, and reflect on mistakes. These skills support deeper thinking and form the foundation of real learning, not just quick recall.
  
  
• It improves efficiency. Kids who can stay focused make fewer errors and work more efficiently. Because learning requires juggling new information, prior knowledge, problem‑solving, and emotional regulation, a steady attention span helps children manage this cognitive load without becoming overwhelmed. Sustained focus also supports multi‑step activities by helping kids hold steps in mind, stay organized, and complete tasks more independently. This is necessary when completing school-related tasks such as reading, writing, math, and science.
  
  
• It strengthens understanding. Attention is linked to how children grasp meaning. For instance, reading comprehension relies on staying with the text long enough to process and understand the material.
  
  
• It fuels persistence and confidence. When kids can stay with a task, they experience more success, and that success fuels motivation. A steady attention span becomes part of the foundation for resilience, effective problem solving, and the confidence to take on more challenging work. The dots start connecting faster.
  
  
• It allows for creativity and imagination. Immersed imaginative play, storytelling, building, and drawing all rely on sustained engagement. Attention provides the capacity to stay with an idea long enough to explore it fully.

Attention is the first line in self-control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (collectively known as executive functions) and requires a significant amount of energy. So, if your child can’t pay attention to what they’re reading or if they have difficulties listening in class, you can’t expect them to retain, process, and store information correctly. In turn, you also can’t expect them to take in data if it comes barreling at them all at once or if they’re unsure what information is important.

Growing Attention

Another factor that can affect sustained attention is age. Younger learners naturally have shorter periods of focused attention because their prefrontal cortex (the brain’s attention and self-regulation hub) is still maturing. So, while attention span does increase over time naturally, its growth is slow, uneven, and heavily dependent on development and environment. It’s similar to height: kids will get taller regardless, but factors like nutrition, sleep, and stress can influence it.

The takeaway is that a child’s attention span can be strengthened. But we also need to support their learning with the focus they have right now. Research shows that kids can absorb information even when they’re not fully tuned in. A 2024 study found they learned just as well whether they were told to pay attention or were doing something else. Their naturally “porous” attention may actually help them take in more of their environment than adults.

Taken together, these insights remind us that attention isn’t fixed. It’s a skill that develops over time and can be strengthened through supportive habits and environments. So how can we help our kids improve their attention span to facilitate their learning?

• Consider their developmental capacity. Kids focus longer when tasks are meaningful, bite‑sized, within their skill range, and connected to movement or play. As a general guideline, children can sustain attention for about 2–3 minutes per year of age on non‑preferred tasks. For instance, a 4‑year‑old might manage about 8–12 minutes on a low‑interest task, while an 8‑year‑old could stay focused for roughly 16–24 minutes. You can gradually stretch this over time, but developmental realities still set the baseline.
  
  
• Warm up their attention. Short, predictable routines help the brain settle and ready to focus. Regulation tactics like a minute of deep breathing, heavy work activities like wall push‑ups or chair push‑downs, an awareness game like finding five blue things, or a simple sensory reset like a chewy snack, fidget, or movement break can all prime the nervous system for sustained attention.
  
  
• Break tasks into chunks. Splitting tasks into smaller steps makes them more manageable. So instead of saying “do your homework,” you might break it into smaller, do-able steps like: “find your math worksheet,” then “complete the first three problems,” then “take a short break,” and finally “finish the last three problems.” Each step feels manageable, which helps kids stay focused and experience success along the way. Chunking reduces cognitive load and increases the likelihood of success.
  
  
• Playing helps. Play is one of the most natural ways to build attention. Activities like puzzles, LEGO or building sets, memory and matching games, drawing or coloring, and pretend play with a storyline all strengthen sustained focus. These kinds of play experiences help develop the neural circuits that support sticking with a task. So all those icebreaker activities we do before meetings serve a purpose beyond learning names.
  
  
• Limit distractions. Frequent novelty (think fast-paced shows, quick-swipe apps, etc) delivers repeated high‑dopamine bursts, conditioning the brain to expect rapid, constant stimulation. Small shifts such as reduced screen time, predictable routines, or playing outside help reset the brain’s baseline for attention.
  
  
• Teach self-regulation. Kids can learn to notice when their attention is drifting and use simple tools (“brain breaks”, timers, checklists, visual schedules, and purposeful fidgets) to bring their focus back. These habits grow metacognition, the foundation for self-directed attention.
  
  
• Increase the “attention ladder”. This term refers to the step‑by‑step progression showing how children move from brief moments of focus to longer, more independent attention. To do this, begin with the child’s current ability and nudge it just 10–20% higher. If your child can stay with a puzzle for about 4 minutes before drifting, you’d set the next goal at roughly 5 minutes. Those small, achievable wins gradually build stamina.

A quick reminder to also keep time of day in mind. The after-school hangover, first thing in the morning, and right before bed are fraught times for attention and energy. Make sure you adjust your approach and have a water/snack at the ready.

While we’re helping children build stronger attention, a new player is shaping the learning landscape. Artificial Intelligence, better known as AI. More on that soon.

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Sources:
Why our attention spans are shrinking, with Gloria Mark, PhD
Tandoc, M. C., Nadendla, B., Pham, T., & Finn, A. S. (2024). Directing attention shapes learning in adults but not children. Psychological Science, 35(10), 1139–1154.
The Digital Attention Span Crisis: What Happens When Kids Can’t Focus – Kids Discover