How do you get a child to retain what they just heard 5 minutes ago? Can retention be taught to toddlers? Luckily, there are techniques that can be used to help your child retain information if they are having trouble remembering things they hear verbally.

How do you get a child to retain what they just heard 5 minutes ago? Can retention be taught to toddlers? Luckily, there are techniques that can be used to help your child retain information if they are having trouble remembering things they hear verbally.

First, we must understand why there are retention difficulties. Studies have shown that most retention issues stem from lower than average self-esteem. Low self-confidence can also contribute to having retention difficulties. By building up self-esteem and self-confidence you will almost immediately see an improvement in their retention. However, it does not end there. There are techniques that can be used to further their retention. Once these techniques become habit they will be second nature to your child.

Games are the most fun way to approach this for your child. You do not want to over emphasize the problem at hand by resorting to drastic measures. Plus, with games children of all ages can participate. Start slow, a nice easy puzzle that can be completed in a relatively short amount is perfect. You may move to more difficult puzzles as you see steady improvements.

The well known children's game of Memory is a great way to increase retention. Any matching picture game will stimulate the brain in a way that will cause retention. The reason for this is because they also have the visualization of the picture in their mind. There are other games that can be played as well such as trivia games, board games and a game of rhymes. Even crossword puzzles will cause them to think and read in a different way. The key to advancement here is repetition.

The least exciting tool for retention is reading a book. While in the beginning the retention level will be low, it will increase over time with continuous reading. Reading stimulates the brain in a different manner than with playing games. While it is a slower process the results are more sudden as opposed to gradual.

Be mindful that difficulties in retention can be a sign of a more telling problem which may require professional attention.