Let's Give a Little Attention to Attention

Much has been written and spoken about the attention span of young children. While it may feel like a modern concern, it's interesting to note that attention actually begins developing very early in life—almost from birth.

Newborns begin to focus during close interactions with their mothers, particularly while feeding. Research suggests that babies can initially see objects about 10 inches away. Gradually, their ability to focus increases: within a few weeks, they can maintain attention for 10–15 seconds, and within a month or two, this focus becomes more sustained.

By around three months, babies can track moving objects with their eyes (occasionally going cross-eyed along the way!) and lock their gaze onto familiar faces—often rewarding us with their first beautiful smiles. At four months, depth perception begins to emerge. By six months, colour recognition and facial recognition become sharper. By their first birthday, babies are able to focus quite well on objects in the environment.

At around 18 months, a child can concentrate for up to three minutes. From there, child psychologists suggest that attention span increases progressively, potentially reaching up to 40 minutes by early adolescence.

It's easy to infer that concentration develops naturally. Everyday "quiet" activities or experiences such as reading a bedtime story, threading beads, playing with play-dough, or stacking blocks gently strengthen a child’s ability to focus. That said, merely providing materials is not enough. The quality of the environment in which these activities take place is just as important.

Several environmental factors strongly influence the development of concentration:

1. A calm, orderly atmosphere: A peaceful environment free from excessive noise and chaos is essential. Loud music or background television can interfere with the normal functioning of a child’s auditory senses and disrupt their ability to concentrate.

2. Overstimulating visual surroundings: While colorful décor such as posters of butterflies or dinosaurs, for instance—may create a cheerful nursery, too much visual stimulation can overwhelm a young brain that is still learning to process its surroundings.

3. Screen time: Today, even very young children are exposed to screens. It can be tempting to hand an active toddler a phone to watch Paw Patrol while waiting at the doctor’s office. However, fast-moving images and rapid scene changes can have a long-term impact, fostering a desire for instant gratification and making sustained concentration more difficult.

4. Cluttered spaces: There is wisdom in the old saying: a cluttered space reflects a cluttered mind. Concentration is difficult when objects are scattered everywhere—something adults can relate to as well. For young children, whose sense of order is innate, clutter can be particularly disruptive.

5. An overabundance of toys: Well-meaning friends and family love to shower babies with gifts. However, too many toys can actually work against concentration. Instead of engaging deeply with one object, a child’s attention is constantly pulled toward the next toy, leading to brief, fleeting engagement.

6. Loud voices and arguments: Raised voices, shouting across rooms, or frequent arguments create an unsettling environment for young children. Because babies naturally respond to human voices, their attention is repeatedly drawn away from their activity, making focused engagement difficult.

The home is a child’s first learning environment, where nearly 70% of early learning takes place. Feeding themselves in a high chair, reaching for desired objects, building vocabulary, following directions such as: let's tidy up, and interpreting parents’ body language—all of these are learned within the first 15 months of life.

By thoughtfully preparing a calm, orderly, and nurturing environment, parents can lay a strong foundation for their child’s ability to concentrate. When the environment supports the child, concentration is not forced—it blooms naturally.