Why «focus» does not work as an instruction
Three reasons an evening at the desk stretches into hours.
- The task is too long — The child sees a whole page and gives up before starting. The same material cut into three parts goes through without resistance.
- Nobody sees attention leaving — An adult notices after twenty minutes of staring out of the window. The child has to learn to notice it after one.
- Coming back costs more than the break — After every interruption you have to rebuild where you stopped. That is why a planned break is cheaper than an accidental one.
What happens in a lesson
Six parts that come back every week — the material changes, the order does not.
- Baseline measurement
In the first lesson we check how long the child works without drifting off. It is the number we start from, not a grade.
- A work block with a signal
A short block with visible time. The child knows when it ends and stops checking the clock.
- A break that does not break the work
Movement or water, never a phone. After a phone, getting back takes longer than the break itself.
- Switching practice
Two tasks in turn: the child practises returning to an interrupted activity, because school interrupts without asking.
- Working with noise nearby
Controlled noise: talking, music. After a few weeks the child can work with a younger sibling around, not only in silence.
- Saying it out loud
Everyone names what distracted them. A named distraction comes back less often than an unnamed one.
We do not diagnose ADHD or attention disorders — that is a specialist's job. If a coach sees something worrying, they tell the parents directly.
What changes along the way
Four changes parents notice first.
A longer work block
From five minutes to a dozen or more without drifting off. It grows slowly and unevenly — that is normal.
A faster start
The child sits down sooner, because they know they will not be stuck for an hour.
Fewer fights over homework
When the length of a block and the time of the break are known, there is less room for negotiation.
Attention away from the desk
The same thing works at training, at rehearsal and in class: the child recognises the moment attention leaves.
What a week looks like
One lesson with a coach and short practice in between.
- Lesson with a coach — 90 minutes once a week, online, in a group of 5–10 children — four work blocks with breaks inside.
- Practice at home — 10 minutes a day: one short block and one school task done the same way.
- A word with the parent — The coach says what changed in the measurement and what is worth supporting at home.
From what age, and when to expect changes
Honest framing, if the child also works between lessons.
| Stage | How long |
|---|---|
| Ages 8–10 | Shorter blocks, more play; the measurement is the same |
| Ages 11–14 | Homework is done the same way, the child watches the time themselves |
| First visible changes | Usually 3–4 weeks from the first measurement |
Check your child's attention before you start
One of the games in our free test measures attention. The result is visible right away, with no account needed.
Take the free test15 minutes · no sign-up · instant result
Who runs the classes
Classes are run by Space Memory coaches who work with groups aged 8–18. The attention programme grew out of exercises that used to be part of memory training: we split them off because parents asked about attention more often than about memorising.
Questions about attention training
Is this therapy for a child with ADHD?
No. These are developmental classes, not treatment. Children with a diagnosis do attend, but the training does not replace it, and we do not diagnose.
From what age do you take children?
From 8. Before that the work blocks are so short that playing with a parent gives more than a group lesson.
Can we just practise at home?
Part of the exercises is written out on our exercises page. A lesson adds the measurement, the group and a coach who sees the moment attention leaves.
How long is one lesson?
90 minutes once a week, with the breaks already built into the plan.
How do we know there is progress?
After the baseline the coach writes down how long the child works without drifting off. We measure the same number every few weeks.
How is this different from memory training?
Memory training teaches how to remember: images, associations, routes. Here we work on time on task and on coming back to it. Many children do both, but it is better to start with whatever gets in the way more.
Before you sign up
Pages where the same exercises are written out for home.
Concentration exercises for kids
Five exercises for home and the reasons behind them
Memory training for kids
Memorising techniques — a separate direction of classes
How to improve a child's memory
What actually helps and what only looks like help
Sign your child up for attention training
Tell us your child's age and a convenient time. We will come back with the start date of the next group.
Request a callA manager will call, explain the groups and answer your questions