Guess What? I don’t believe children are any less focused now than they have been in the past. I believe they just have an unprecedented amount of information being thrown at them, that they have to constantly sift through. They are bombarded by colors and sounds; all vying for their attention. Their physiology is addicted to the stimulation but they don’t have to be. It’s not about trying to cut them off from it all, it’s about providing them with tools to practice the developmental skill: FOCUS. Focus, like any other skill, is learned and practiced. It doesn’t always come naturally or easily, but that doesn’t mean your toddler is destined for a life of unfocus. Let’s be honest, we could all put a bit more practice into this skill! Here are 3 Yoga Poses to pull out when focus seems to be at an all time low:
Binocular Twist
…for looking closer. Sometimes we’re moving too fast to see what’s right in front of our faces. Slow down. Look. Have your child kneel on their heels and lift their hands to circles around their eyes. Twist all the way to the right (holding the “binoculars”) to their eyes. Then Twist all the way to the left (still holding up the “binoculars”). What do they see?
Clap-it-Out
…to center distraction. Unfocus can be the result of unorganized or excessive energy. Take a moment to shake it out; the practice uses motion to anchor attention to a task which allows focus to recenter. Prompt your child to reach their hands out to their sides (parallel to the floor). Count to 3 and then clap hands together and rub; keep rubbing until hands warm up and then place them on a body part (i.e. head, tummy, etc). Take a deep breath in. And repeat as many times on as many body parts as needed. I usually do it 3x: head, tummy, heart.
Dolphin
…for turning your focus upside down. It’s all about perspective. Focus can be limited when the task itself is a challenge. Teaching your child to look at things from a “different angle” will help them learn that creativity supports focus. When we can adapt, we can refocus! Have your child start in a tabletop position (hands and knees on the ground) and then have them lower down onto their forearms. Direct them to lift their knees off the ground, straighten their legs, and reach their bottoms up to the sky.
Consciously finding moments to teach your toddler focus NOW will help them develop their own focus practices as they mature into the demands of the education system and later on into adulthood! Help them practice the ability to find focus by watching this FREE Bendy Bookworm Video!