Set up an area for kids to work that contains few external distractions. Noise can be a major distraction, so find a place away from windows and television sets. Children who still struggle with auditory distractions may benefit from a white noise machine, a fan or noise-canceling headphones to block sounds while they work on homework. Experiment to find out if your child has better concentration with music or different lighting, and teach the child to seek out that environment when he needs to concentrate.
Anxiety can greatly affect an individual's ability to concentrate, so children should be taught ways to cope with nervousness. Talk about issues that may be bothering your child, such as fear of failure. Discussion about such concerns or even journal writing may help reduce anxiety. Teaching the importance of a positive attitude also helps with stress. Practice empowering self-statements with children -- phrases that help build their confidence. Modeling confident behavior also helps children develop such techniques, enhancing their ability to concentrate in various situations.
Proper diet, healthy exercise and efficient sleep also help with concentration for kids. A consistently healthy diet seems to help people with concentration levels more than a single vitamin or food type. Although science has not proven that specific vitamins or foods boost brain power, diets high in fat definitely reduce alertness. Studies also show that a healthy breakfast increases the ability to concentrate in the short term. Exercise also helps with focus as does a good night's sleep.
Games that require the use of concentration and memory help children learn the skills more readily. Matching games force kids to find strategies to remember, such as memorizing the placement of certain cards. You can create cards to fit nearly any learning situation. For instance, for a child learning numbers, a card with the word "one" matches a card with the numeral "1." Such a game teaches specific concepts but also the skill of concentration in a fun context.