Building Attention

1) Play listening games like Listening lotto - To be sucessful at this game children need to listen carefully to the sounds you make (or that you download from the app) and find the corresponding picture card. The winner is the first one who manages to collect all their cards.
Encourage children to look at you as you say the sounds as this too will develop their listening skills.

2) Use bubbles in 'ready steady go' games. In this game the child must learn to wait and look at the adult before they say ‘go’ and blow the bubbles for them. Say ‘ready… steady… then wait for a second or two before blowing the bubbles. Then start to gradually increase the time a little that they need to wait for, thus developing their attention and patience, rather than things having to happen immediately. If a child gets distracted draw their attention back in by calling their name, showing them the bubble tube and making excited noises. You can play ‘ready steady go’ games throughout nursery or at home (e.g. waiting to slide down a slide/ pour sand/ roll a ball/ etc.)

3) Use the Attention Bucket to develop attention skills stage by stage