One Simple Way to Increase Focus
What is a simple way to help students with ADHD, ADD, (or anyone else, really) improve their focus and memory?
Exercise.
A study in the journal Pediatrics last year revealed that kids with a regular exercise program demonstrate improved cognitive performance. Another study in the Journal of Attention Disorders found that the amount of exercise that can make such a difference is as little as 26 minutes a day.
With less recess and physical education at school, how can children get that much exercise each day? One simple and free way is to take a walk around the block. Even light exercise like a quick stroll can make a difference.
Another is to find a YouTube exercise video that your child would enjoy. My search for “kids exercise” yielded millions of results. To narrow it down, you could choose dance, yoga, or kickboxing. I even found Minecraft-themed workout.
Join the YMCA with your child and visit as many times a week as you can. Or sign up your child for a sport or activity outside school. The Bay Area has many things to offer, from traditional soccer and basketball to capoeira and rock climbing.
If your child doesn’t get much exercise right now, start them slow and build up to an average of 20 minutes a day. And if you can, make it a family activity: children who exercise with their parents are more likely to keep it up (the buddy system helps us all keep up routines).