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

I R E C T I O N S
Have your child hold in her stomach muscles and start counting. Be sure she
keeps breathing. The idea is to stay focused on keeping the stomach muscles
taut and not get distracted. See what number she can count to before she gets
distracted or her muscles tire. Then, after a small break, try again.
Games for 6- to 12-Year-Olds
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A R I A T I O N
Up the challenge by seeing if your child can do the exercise while continu-
ing to do her regular routine, such as doing homework, taking a walk, or
doing dishes. Can part of her attention stay on the tightened abdominal?
For how long?
W
H A T
’
S
B
E I N G
L
E A R N E D
Tightening any muscle takes concentration. Children need to be aware of
what they are doing while they are doing it.
The more children practice their skill of staying focused in any area,
the more likely that skill is to spill over to other areas.
Expanding Interest
Watching our children try out new interests, we start to notice patterns. We
might notice that one child always likes to tinker with machines; another
spends long periods drawing; yet another seems most content playing with
the family pet.
In this activity, we take notice of these interests and provide the means
for these interests to expand.
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
See suggestions below
D
I R E C T I O N S
Notice which activities tend to engage your child’s interest, and think of
various ways to expand that interest. Discuss your ideas with your child
and brainstorm together to see if any of the ideas cause him to light up or