To improve your child's concentration, he must first understand what it means to concentrate. Over the course of a week, point out examples of concentration to your child. Examples of good concentration may be found in nature, as well as in everyday life. If your child is concentrating on eating his snack, a bird building a nest or a woman shopping for shoes, point these examples out to your child so that he fully understands the concept of concentration.
Breaking up a task into bite-size sections with a definite time limit will encourage your child to dedicate his full attention to completing his task. Instead of handing your child a page filled with math problems, divide the page into four equal-size groups. Set your timer for five minutes and tell your child he must work on completing the first section until the timer goes off. At the end of five minutes, give your child a two-minute break to stretch or get a drink, then have him complete the next section. You may adjust the amount of time based on your child's ability to complete the first section.
A small study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) shows that when children are given time in nature their attention span is improved. The study did not show improvements just from time spent outdoors, but rather, time spent in a natural setting, like a park, increased attention span. To benefit from the results of this study, try giving your child 20 minutes of time to play in the backyard or at the park before starting homework in the evening.
Play a daily concentration game with your child to gradually improve his concentration. The game may be as simple as a competition to see who can stare at an object without looking away for the longest amount of time. Other good concentration games may include classic memory matching games or solving a jigsaw puzzle. Use these games as a reward for good concentration during homework time.