It’s not always easy getting little bundles of energy to pay attention.
Whether it be homework, a conversation or a household chore – concentration can sometimes be a big ask from kids. But there is a way, a very entertaining and enjoyable way to get the little ones to feel that drive to do their best.
Be a superhero.
Yes, really. Allowing children to become their favourite movie or comic book hero can give them oodles of determination, allowing them to perform what would be boring or difficult tasks for longer.
Research published in a Child Development report, studied two groups of children. The first group was made up of children aged six, while the other was comprised of four-year-olds.
Researchers looked at the benefits of self-distancing, which means taking an outside view of our own situation, when it came to children’s perseverance.
The two groups studied were asked to complete a repetitive task for 10 minutes – if they wanted a break they could play a video game. As you might imagine, the six-year-olds performed better than the younger tots, but both groups performed better and for longer when they impersonated a superhero such as Batman.
It seems engaging and personifying a character’s positive qualities and characteristics can give kids that extra belief that they have the ability and strength to complete the task.
So, the next time your little ones are getting frustrated trying to do something well or simply going through a phase of not believing in themselves, teaching them that they have the power and perseverance of their favourite superhero might just start with the hero’s costume.
