We have seen this so often in our studio. A warrior doing a work that has consumed him/her so much, that they don’t hear or see anything going on around them. “Concentration is a part of life. It is not the consequence of a method of education.” Dr. Maria Montessori.
Because of COVID-19, so many families are being given the chance to spend meaningful time with each other. This is truly an incredible opportunity. On the other hand, it’s equally important, to offer the children a chance to initiate self-play and the time to be bored. The best way to develop concentration is to practice and the best way to let children practice it is to avoid interrupting when they are beginning to pay attention to something.
As a side note, what Dr. Montessori describes in her books is not the same as when a child stares into a screen or becomes fixated on a video game. There is so much research on how the mind becomes “hijacked” and gives the child no practice at being in charge of his/her mind. This passive experience does not help develop the child’s ability to concentrate or to regulate itself.
While at home, you can observe your child and see what holds their attention. Nurture their creative endeavors, even if you cringe at messes. Really resist the urge to interrupt when they are in deep concentration. You can make sure they are in a safe space, but if you can do it from afar, all the better. Work on meditation or quiet time in the day. Be a role model. Show them that you have a work where you need to concentrate, too.
Allowing them this uninterrupted time will enable them to focus on a task as long as they wish. Learning happens when there is concentration. Concentration only happens with interest. Concentration is a skill that needs the practice to improve and develop.
“The first essential for the child’s development is concentration. It lays the whole basis for his character and social behavior. He must find out how to concentrate, and for this, he needs things to concentrate upon. This shows the importance of his surroundings, for no one acting on the outside can cause him to concentrate. Only he can organize his psychic life. None of us can do it for him. Indeed, it is just here that the importance of our schools really lies. They are places in which the child can find the kind of work that permits him to do this.” (The Absorbent Mind, 1967.)