Chan Chansquaremoon
Aug 8, 2026, 4:57 PMHow to cultivate attention to detail in kids? What kind of activities promote that skill?
Replies
- Chan ChansquaremoonAug 8, 2026, 5:02 PM
Google is not helpful in this because it just lists some unhelpful links to pages talking about attention span. There is a difference between attention span and attention-to-detail. Argh.
saarmullersaarmuller@mastodon.socialAug 8, 2026, 5:04 PM@squaremoon Does it list " Where is waldo"? But I and my siblings learned primarily by example from our parents.
- Chan ChansquaremoonAug 8, 2026, 5:07 PM
@saarmuller :) Funnily enough, I didn’t see it in any list. That’s really cool. But I am looking for something that is fun for kids. Do you think chess can help?
- saarmullersaarmuller@mastodon.socialAug 8, 2026, 5:59 PM
@squaremoon That's an interesting question. For chess you certainly need a long attention span, bur that wasn't what you were looking for!
Also, thinking it over, children do not only need to pay attention to details, but also to be able to see the broader picture. In many adults the latter is perhaps even more a problem than the details.
Really effective thinking requires the ability to quickly between the two viewpoints: you have to develop what I call zoom-mind. 
Lisa 🦔 [Bats in my Belfry]mycrowgirl@flipping.rocksAug 8, 2026, 6:46 PM@saarmuller @squaremoon shoot, there is a very specific activity related to the “zoom in/out” attention but it’s been like 20 years since the workshop where I saw it. I’ll see if I still have a teaching contact there!
- saarmullersaarmuller@mastodon.socialAug 8, 2026, 6:53 PM
@mycrowgirl @squaremoon Ah, that would be interesting! Hope you can find it.
(I requested to follow you!) 
David Hopewardhopeward@sunny.gardenAug 8, 2026, 6:34 PM@squaremoon
STEM type of kits? They need to be done carefully in order to work.- Chan ChansquaremoonAug 8, 2026, 10:24 PM
@hopeward I was thinking more in terms of activities to be done in day-to-day life. I don’t want to use kits. Those get boring very fast.
- David Hopewardhopeward@sunny.gardenAug 9, 2026, 1:24 AM
@squaremoon
I see, OK. 
Odd reverberationsradicalfaery@lgbtqia.spaceAug 8, 2026, 7:08 PM@squaremoon @mycrowgirl memory games
- Chan ChansquaremoonAug 8, 2026, 10:23 PM
@radicalfaery Love this idea! I experimented with this by creating memory games based on books kids read in my book club at the library. It really made them focus on tinier details. Oh I love how solutions are around me. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!
@mycrowgirl 
darf :BlobhajMlem:darfplatypus@infosec.exchangeAug 8, 2026, 7:11 PM@squaremoon this is anecdotal from my own experience but the show "Psych" the main characters dad would ask the main character about things happening around them throughout the day, which I started doing something similar with my mom. small things like "what was the apartment number on the door they just showed on TV" or what color shoes is the wait staff wearing. how many clocks are in the room. details about the every day surroundings. no clue if this is a "right" way to do it, but made me more observant.
- Lisa 🦔 [Bats in my Belfry]mycrowgirl@flipping.rocksAug 8, 2026, 7:13 PM
@squaremoon oh! It may be helpful to have an idea of what age range of “kids” we’re talking about?
Something that comes to mind that would work for any age group is baking (or cooking).
It involves careful planning where they first find a recipe or at least identify what they want to make, then making sure you have ingredients/tools/enough time. But also paying close attention to measurements or specific ingredients that could easily be mixed up. 1 tsp of salt vs 1 TBS salt is a huge difference, or like baking powder vs baking soda…)
Of course it helps that this activity has the reward built in!
Side benefit that it also develops fine motor skills and in general knowing how to feed yourself is a good life skill. 🤣
- Chan ChansquaremoonAug 8, 2026, 10:20 PM
@mycrowgirl My daughter. She is really great at remembering trivia, solving big picture problems, but she is not great at noticing tiny details. I think her brain works fast so she is straight away looking to solve whatever problem she is working on. However, that’s not great when attention to smaller details is needed. I want to help her cultivate that.
- saarmullersaarmuller@mastodon.socialAug 9, 2026, 7:31 AM
@squaremoon @mycrowgirl And her approximate age?
oisinoisin@mastodon.ieAug 8, 2026, 7:20 PM@squaremoon I used cooking (recipes) and lego (build instructions) on my kids when they were very young.
- Chan ChansquaremoonAug 8, 2026, 10:20 PM
@oisin How interesting! I was thinking of these two, too. Adding to my list.
Adventurer In CaliforniaAdventurerAug 9, 2026, 5:33 AM@squaremoon
We look for lizards and ants, collect rocks, try to find animals while driving, and make things they want. An example of making things they want would be making dolls out of plastic/paper cups or use bandages to make doll clothes. We use things we find outside like sticks and rocks and these get glue and paint and all kinds of things. Sometimes we find the objects first then try to think of what useful things we could make, even if those things are only useful from a play perspective. I also love my window markers but I think they are old enough to understand the difference between windows and walls.