Toddler Speech and Language Tip 9 : 1-Minute Attention

A toddler's attention span should roughly correspond to age. So, at one year, 1 minute at least; at 2 years, at least 2 minutes.

For some kids, this is easy. For others - especially those with language delays - this is more difficult, because attention / cognition / language are often linked. Strengthening attention often strengthens language.

So how can we keep a toddler's attention on something for at least a minute?

One of the best ways to teach staying on a task for a minute… is to not give your child any other options for that minute. That is, make sure all other toys except the one you are working with are put away, and on some high shelf somewhere. That way, your child has no option but to engage with what’s in front of him.

If a child insists or cries, just show them another function with the toy. Keep at the same thing for the minute before switching.

Eg -if baby is bored of bouncing a ball, catch it. If she is bored of stirring a cup, show pouring. Try to get to the end of the minute.

Another great way to keep your child on the same toy for a minute is to make them clean up before you move on to the next activity!

For a printable checklist, more examples, and a tracking sheet / more ideas about one minute attention, download the "Toddler Parent Education Handout 9 " on our Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Happy Talking!

Disclaimer : Smarter Speech is a pediatric speech therapy / speech-language pathology practice for toddlers and children providing in-home and teletherapy services in and around Mountain View, CA and Los Gatos, CA. Smarter Speech Blog aims to provide free speech and language tips for parents educators and therapists. However, this post is not providing speech-language pathology services. This is general information, not speech -language pathology or speech therapy. This article does not assume or create a client – SLP relationship. The author is not liable for any losses or damages due to actions or failure to act based on the content in this article. If you need assistance with a child’s speech or language needs, please contact a speech-language pathologist in your area.