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How to Help Kids Concentrate at the End of the School Year

Posted on Apr 29, 2016

The end of the school year is finally in sight, and everyone- parents, kids, teachers- is getting excited for summer fun! Of course, while it's fun to look forward to summer, there's still homework to be done, tests to be taken, and projects to be turned in before Loudoun County's last day of school on June 14th. 

elementary school kids

While it's only natural for kids to be a bit distracted as the last days of school slip away, it's still important for them to be present and participate. With that in mind, here are some tips to help kids stay focused towards the end of the school year. 

  • Make sure they're getting enough exercise. Exercise has tons of benefits for kids, including helping them perform better in school. They need at least 60 minutes per day of physical activity, which in turn will help them to be more focused when they're not moving. For kids who have problems sitting still at school, it's even more important that they be getting plenty of time to move and play. Making exercise a daily priority for your family doesn't have to be hard. Take a walk after dinner each day, kick a soccer ball around in the backyard, or come to Monkey Joe's where they can jump, climb, and play for hours in our indoor playground. 
  • Re-establish the rules. It's easy for rules to fall by the wayside as the school year goes on, but now might be a good time to reiterate to your kids what's expected of them. Remind them that they can't play video games or watch television until their homework is done, or whatever your family's guidelines are to help them stay on track with their school work. 
  • Give them something to look forward to. Even adults usually find it easier to stay motivated to achieve a goal when there is a reward in sight. Get your kids to help you plan a special "school's out" activity to make the end of the school year extra special... If they work hard all the way to the end. Knowing that they have something fun in store--like a trip to Monkey Joe's--will help them stay focused on getting through those hard last few weeks of school work. 

Photo by klimkin via Pixabay