B a r b a r a s h e r I l L u s t r a t I o n s b y r a L p h

W
H A T
’
S
B
E I N G
L
E A R N E D
Children are tapping into the right brain’s capacity to visualize. This skill
will not only lengthen their attention span but also help them comprehend
stories.
Visualizing also encourages imagination, a necessary ingredient in per-
sonal entertainment.
If you play the variation of having your child guess what will happen
next, you are giving her practice in the important skill of previewing. This
is the skill that is necessary when we are planning any project. We need to
have a vision of where we are going in order to get there. When we are writ-
ing a report, we need to know what the final paragraph will be so that we
Games for 6- to 12-Year-Olds
131
09_736546 ch04.qxp 5/26/06 11:59 AM Page 131

---

can keep in mind where we are going as we write. Whether we are sculpt-
ing, building a house, or planning a garden, knowing our destination
strengthens our navigation.
Paper Plethora
One of the ways to increase a child’s attention span is to give him things
that encourage his creativity. Paper is an inexpensive medium for explor-
ing because it can be torn, ripped, wadded, crumpled, folded, taped, pasted,
rolled, wrapped, and scribbled on.
Over a month’s time, squirrel away any interesting paper or cardboard
that crosses your path and put the pieces in a special box for this purpose.
T
Y P E S O F
A
T T E N T I O N
E
N C O U R A G E D
Open and focused
M
A T E R I A L S
Scraps of different kinds of paper, such as gift wrapping paper, wax
paper, discarded envelopes, toothpaste boxes, gift boxes, photocopy
paper, colored paper, aluminum foil, magazines, greeting cards,
and paper bags
Glue or tape (or both)
Crayons or markers