Enhancing Focus and Attention with DIR

Key Points:

• DIR/Floortime helps children improve focus and attention by engaging their emotions, interests, and relationships.
• Specific strategies like following a child’s lead and scaffolding challenges can sustain attention over longer periods.
• Parents and caregivers play a vital role in creating meaningful interactions that build attention skills step by step.

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Have you ever tried to get your child to finish a simple task, only to watch them drift off after a few seconds? You’re not alone — helping kids stay focused can feel like chasing butterflies. But the good news is, there’s a thoughtful way to build attention skills through connection: DIR/Floortime.

Understanding Focus and Attention through the DIR Lens

Focus and attention are much more than sitting still or completing worksheets. In the Developmental, Individual-differences, Relationship-based (DIR) model, attention is viewed as a skill that grows out of emotional connection, engagement, and regulation.

When children feel emotionally safe and invested, they’re more likely to sustain their focus. DIR/Floortime taps into what matters to the child — their interests, feelings, and relationships — and uses those to help them attend longer and with more purpose.

Instead of demanding attention, DIR helps children choose to focus because they’re motivated and understood.

Why Some Children Struggle with Attention

Many parents searching for ways to improve their child’s attention already know the frustration of constant redirection. Children may struggle to focus for many reasons:

• Sensory sensitivities that make certain environments overwhelming.
• Difficulty regulating emotions when tasks become challenging.
• Limited practice sustaining attention due to developmental delays.
• Activities that don’t match their unique interests or strengths.

DIR/Floortime addresses these underlying challenges rather than just trying to correct behaviors. Let’s explore how this approach works in practice.

How DIR Enhances Focus and Attention

The heart of DIR/Floortime lies in meeting the child where they are and guiding them toward higher levels of development. This is particularly effective for attention-building because it works with — not against — the child’s natural rhythms.

Following the Child’s Lead

When children are allowed to explore something they genuinely care about, their natural focus kicks in. In DIR, adults observe what captivates the child and join in those moments of interest.

For example:

• If a child is stacking blocks, rather than moving them to a different activity, the adult might add to the tower and narrate what’s happening.
• If the child loves spinning a toy, the adult can imitate and then slowly expand the play, introducing new ideas.

These moments of shared joy help the child stay engaged longer because their emotional investment fuels their attention.

Expanding Circles of Communication

Focus isn’t just about staying on one task — it’s also about sustaining interactions. DIR helps build what are called “circles of communication,” back-and-forth exchanges that increase both focus and social engagement.

For example:

• A child hands you a ball (opening a circle).
• You roll it back and wait (continuing the circle).
• The child giggles and rolls it again (closing the circle and opening another).

Each additional circle strengthens the child’s ability to attend to both people and activities for longer periods.

Scaffolding Attention through Challenges

Once a child is engaged, adults can gently stretch their focus by adding small challenges that are just above the child’s current skill level — a concept called “scaffolding.”

For instance:

• If the child can stack three blocks before losing interest, the adult might encourage stacking five.
• If the child enjoys a song, the adult can pause before the last word, prompting the child to fill it in.

These carefully calibrated challenges help children build their attention span without becoming overwhelmed.

Practical DIR Strategies to Build Attention at Home

You don’t need special equipment or a therapy room to practice these strategies. With some intention and patience, you can use DIR principles in everyday life to strengthen your child’s focus and attention.

Create a Supportive Environment

Start by making sure the environment isn’t full of distractions or stressors:

• Minimize background noise (like TV) when engaging in play.
• Choose a comfortable, familiar space where your child feels safe.
• Have a few appealing toys or materials ready, but don’t overwhelm with too many choices.

A calm setting helps children regulate themselves and sustain attention longer.

Tune Into Your Child’s Interests

Take note of what naturally draws your child’s attention — trains, pretend play, water play, animals — and use these as entry points. Children are far more likely to focus on something they already enjoy than something imposed on them.

For example, if your child loves animals, you can build longer and more complex play scenarios around zoo animals or farm sets.

Keep Interactions Playful and Relational

DIR emphasizes that attention grows best in the context of joy and connection. Laugh, make silly faces, and respond warmly to your child’s bids for attention. Your energy helps sustain theirs.

When you notice their focus starting to waver, you can use gentle humor or a surprising twist in the activity to re-engage them.

Break Tasks Into Manageable Steps

For more structured activities, help your child focus by breaking things down:

• Instead of “clean up your room,” try “Let’s pick up the blocks first.”
• Instead of “Draw a picture,” try “Draw one circle, then a line.”

This reduces overwhelm and helps the child practice completing one step before moving to the next.

Build in Short Breaks

Even with support, children need breaks to reset their attention. Allow short, movement-based pauses between focused activities to help them come back refreshed and ready to engage again.

Success Stories: What Progress Looks Like

Parents often wonder how to know if their efforts are working. While every child is different, here are some signs of progress you might notice:

• Your child stays engaged in play for longer stretches without wandering away.
• They initiate more back-and-forth exchanges with you or others.
• They tolerate and even enjoy more complex challenges in their play.
• They can transition between activities with less resistance.

These small victories add up, building the foundation for stronger focus in school, social settings, and beyond.

When to Seek Professional Support

While many parents can incorporate DIR/Floortime techniques at home, there are times when guidance from a trained therapist can make a big difference. If your child seems stuck at a certain stage, gets overwhelmed easily, or struggles to connect emotionally during play, working with a professional can help tailor strategies to their specific needs.

A certified DIR practitioner can assess your child’s developmental profile and design individualized activities that support both attention and emotional growth.

Take the Next Step with DIR/Floortime in New Jersey

Helping your child build focus and attention isn’t about quick fixes or rigid drills. It’s a gradual, relational process. The more you tune into your child’s cues and engage with them where they are, the more you’ll see their ability to stay present and engaged grow over time.

If you’re ready to deepen your child’s focus and attention through meaningful, playful interaction, we invite you to connect with DIRect Floortime. Our team provides compassionate, individualized DIR Floortime in New Jersey, helping children thrive at their own pace while building the attention skills they need for everyday life.

Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking for expert guidance, we’re here to support you and your child every step of the way. Reach out today to discover how DIR/Floortime can make a difference!