How long can my toddler concentrate?

You asked and you shall now receive. It’s only fair for us to share all of this stored up knowledge about a toddlers and what happens when they start toddling (and talking)! We now will answer, in a very public forum, all of those burning questions about children in their second year. Each Wednesday, we will tackle a commonly-asked-question from the point of view of a parent with a toddler. Chiming in to give her feedback will be three women who have been there and done that: an expert (you know someone who does this for a living), a mom from our community (for the “best” friend advice you need) and a babybites’ team member (someone who will promise to give you the REAL deal and no fluff). Earmark, share and add your own input to today’s question; it’s good karma.

How long can my toddler concentrate on one activity or toy?

Expert: Marsha Greenberg

Toddlers vary on the amount of time they can concentrate on a toy or activity. Some of their ability to concentrate depends on their temperament and some depends on what stage/age they are in their toddler development. An 18 month old can usually spend about 3-5 minutes playing with a toy while a 24 or 26 month old may last longer. What really engages a toddler is a grownup- someone who can engage, talk, and expand the play with a toy. At 18 months of age a toddler has the ability to enter into imaginative play which brings the interaction to a whole other level of focus.

Mom: Katie Gilbert

I am always amazed now long my three year old can concentrate on one activity! She has two favorite things she likes to do while our little one naps: board games and art & crafts! She can sit stringing beads with me or a friend for 30 minutes, and it is so good for her fine motor skills. Games, games and more games has been her passion since she turned three. Again, we have turned back to some of the classics to get her started. She LOVES Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, checkers, Old Maid and Pretty Pretty Princess. She will play for hours if we let her!!

Mommybites’ team: Laura Deutsch

As with everything, each toddler is different. I’ve seen toddlers be engaged for over 30 minutes with one toy and I’ve seen toddlers go from toy to toy to toy every minute. I think it also depends on the type of toy and how interesting it is to the toddler. For example, my son who is almost four LOVES cars and can play with his cars for at least 15 to 20 minutes at a time, but give him a coloring book and he’s done in 5 minutes. I also believe that concentration is higher when all basic needs are met. So when my son is well rested and just had a good meal, he is able to play for a lot longer independently.

About our team:

Marsha Greenberg M.S., M.S. W

Marsha is a therapist in New York City. She is the author of the newly released book, Raising Your Toddler, by Globe Pequot Press. She has masters degrees in Child and Family Development and Social Work from the University of Michigan. As the Director of the Health Systems Child Care Program for over 14 years, she was responsible for over 250 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 years of age. Marsha teaches in the Early Childhood Special Education department at NYU and has a private psychotherapy practice in NYC. Marsha is the mother of three grown sons and has three grandsons (aged 4 and 18 months and 4 months) with a new grandchild on the way.

Katie Gilbert

Katie is a stay-at-home mom of two girls, 3 years old and 16 month old, and she is due in June with a little boy! She has found herself to be more organized and more efficient with two at home, than when she just had one child. Hopefully this will hold true with 3!

Laura Deutsch

Laura Deutsch is the original founder and creator of Mommybites. Since first starting Mommybites (formerly known as babybites) in 2006 by handing out post cards to fellow moms on the streets of Manhattan, Laura has continued to use her business savvy, dedication and creativity to cultivate and grow Mommybites in its flagship city of Manhattan. Prior to founding Mommybites, Laura worked as a middle school math teacher at The Dwight School in Manhattan. Laura holds her BA from Binghamton University and her MA in Early Childhood Education from Hunter College. She currently resides in Summit, NJ, with her husband, Brian, daughter, Ava, and son, Jacob.