Educational Activities to Improve Attention and Concentration in Early Childhood Education: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v5i2.940Keywords:
sustained attention; concentration; early childhood education; educational activities; executive functions; systematic reviewAbstract
Sustained attention and concentration are essential skills in early childhood education, since they allow children to remain focused on an activity, follow instructions, regulate impulses, and actively participate in learning experiences. The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the effectiveness of structured educational activities for improving sustained attention in children aged 3 to 5 years. The bibliographic search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, SciELO, and Google Scholar, considering open-access articles published between 2021 and 2026, under selection criteria guided by the PICO strategy and the PRISMA 2020 flow. Thirty studies related to structured play, dialogic reading, mindfulness, yoga, physical activity, motor learning, dance, music, and self-regulation strategies were included. The findings indicate that structured educational activities contribute to strengthening skills related to sustained attention and concentration, mainly when they are implemented with teacher guidance, clear rules, active participation, motor experiences, emotional regulation, and cognitive challenges adapted to children’s developmental level. It should be noted that the results were not completely uniform, due to methodological differences among the studies, the instruments used, the duration of implementation, and the intensity of the interventions. Therefore, these activities are considered a relevant pedagogical alternative for early childhood education, provided that they are systematically planned, sustained over time, methodologically appropriate, and adapted to children’s developmental characteristics.
Downloads
References
Bai, J., Huang, H., & Ouyang, H. (2022). Effects of Group-Play Moderate to Vigorous Intensity Physical Activity Intervention on Executive Function and Motor Skills in 4- to 5-Year-Old Preschoolers: A Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.847785 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.847785
Bazzano, A. N., Sun, Y., Zu, Y., Fleckman, J. M., Blackson, E. A., Patel, T., Shorty-Belisle, A., Liederman, K. H., & Roi, C. (2023). Yoga and Mindfulness for Social-Emotional Development and Resilience in 3–5 Year-Old Children: Non-Randomized, Controlled Intervention. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 16, 109–118. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S385413 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S385413
Bockmann, J. O., & Yu, S. Y. (2023). Using Mindfulness-Based Interventions to Support Self-regulation in Young Children: A Review of the Literature. In Early Childhood Education Journal (Vol. 51, Number 4, pp. 693–703). Springer Science and Business Media B.V. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01333-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01333-2
Chichinina, E., Gavrilova, M., & Drid, P. (2025). Executive function skills predict motor competence in preschool children. BMC Pediatrics, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05582-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05582-z
Deodhar, A. V., & Bertenthal, B. I. (2023). How attention factors into executive function in preschool children. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1146101 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1146101
Dias Rodrigues, A., Cruz-Ferreira, A., Marmeleira, J., Laranjo, L., & Veiga, G. (2022). Which Types of Body-Oriented Interventions Promote Preschoolers’ Social-Emotional Competence? A Systematic Review. In Healthcare (Switzerland) (Vol. 10, Number 12). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10122413 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10122413
DiCarlo, C. F., & Ota, C. (2025). Sustained Attention in Three-Year-Old Children: The Impact of Teaching Conditions and Choice. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-025-01985-w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-025-01985-w
Dolgikh, A., Bayanova, L., & Chichinina, E. (2023). Potential impact of extra education on the development of executive functions within a year in preschool children: an exploratory research. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1193472 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1193472
Fogel, Y., Cohen Elimelech, O., & Josman, N. (2025). Executive Function in Young Children: Validation of the Preschool Executive Task Assessment. Children, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/children12050626 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children12050626
Gavrilova, M., Karimova, A., Solopova, O., Veraksa, A., & Yakushina, A. (2024). Preschoolers’ executive function: effect of the duration of preschool attendance and quality of teacher-child interactions. Frontiers in Education, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1421037 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1421037
Gibb, R., Coelho, L., Van Rootselaar, N. A., Halliwell, C., MacKinnon, M., Plomp, I., & Gonzalez, C. L. R. (2021). Promoting Executive Function Skills in Preschoolers Using a Play-Based Program. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.720225 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.720225
Hao, Y., Kong, L., Wang, X., & Yu, X. (2025). The impact of structured motor learning intervention on preschool children’s executive functions. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01385-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01385-5
İçen, B. K., & Çelik, O. T. (2026). Examination of the Effects of a Play-Based Mindfulness Training Program on Resilience, Emotion Regulation Skills, and Executive Functions of Preschool Children. Children, 13(1), 110. https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010110 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010110
Jylänki, P., Mbay, T., Byman, A., Hakkarainen, A., Sääkslahti, A., & Aunio, P. (2022). Cognitive and Academic Outcomes of Fundamental Motor Skill and Physical Activity Interventions Designed for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Systematic Review. In Brain Sciences (Vol. 12, Number 8). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12081001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12081001
Kosokabe, T., Mizusaki, M., Nagaoka, W., Honda, M., Suzuki, N., & Moriguchi, Y. (2025). Self-directed music play to improve executive function in young children using NIRS. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10984-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10984-1
Li, Y., Ler, H. Y., Zhang, D., & Su, L. (2026). Fundamental motor skill interventions significantly improve executive functions and social–emotional competence in preschoolers: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1721589 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1721589
Liu, W., Wang, Z., Liu, Y., & Li, X. (2025). The effects of early childhood dancesport intervention on executive function in preschool children: a randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10751-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10751-2
Lu, Y., Shi, L., & Musib, A. F. (2024). Effects of music training on executive functions in preschool children aged 3–6 years: systematic review and meta-analysis. In Frontiers in Psychology (Vol. 15). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1522962 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1522962
Malambo, C., Nová, A., Clark, C., & Musálek, M. (2022). Associations between Fundamental Movement Skills, Physical Fitness, Motor Competency, Physical Activity, and Executive Functions in Pre-School Age Children: A Systematic Review. In Children (Vol. 9, Number 7). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI). https://doi.org/10.3390/children9071059 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children9071059
Muir, R. A., Howard, S. J., & Kervin, L. (2023). Interventions and Approaches Targeting Early Self-Regulation or Executive Functioning in Preschools: A Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review, 35(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09740-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09740-6
Olive, L. S., Telford, R. M., Westrupp, E., & Telford, R. D. (2024). Physical activity intervention improves executive function and language development during early childhood: The active early learning cluster randomized controlled trial. Child Development, 95(2), 544–558. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14014
Ruffini, C., Spoglianti, S., Bombonato, C., Bonetti, S., Di Lieto, M. C., & Pecini, C. (2021). Dialogic reading to empower executive functions in preschoolers. Children, 8(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/children8050373 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children8050373
Şendil, A. M., Canlı, U., sheeha, B. Bin, Alkhamees, N. H., Batrakoulis, A., & Al-Mhanna, S. B. (2024). The effects of structured coordinative exercise protocol on physical fitness, motor competence and inhibitory control in preschool children. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79811-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79811-3
Shlomov, I., Levit-Binnun, N., & Horowitz-Kraus, T. (2023). Neurodevelopmental Effects of a Mindfulness and Kindness Curriculum on Executive Functions in Preschool Children—A Randomized, Active-Controlled Study. Mind, Brain, and Education, 17(2), 132–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12348 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12348
Vazou, S., & Mavilidi, M. F. (2021). Cognitively Engaging Physical Activity for Targeting Motor, Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Skills in the Preschool Classroom: The Move for Thought preK-K Program. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.729272 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.729272
Vidal Carulla, C., Christodoulakis, N., & Adbo, K. (2021). Development of preschool children’s executive functions throughout a play-based learning approach that embeds science concepts. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020588 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020588
Wang, B., Chen, P., Jia, Z., & Tan, Z. (2025). Effects of physical activity on executive function and its subdomains in children aged 5–6. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1651806 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1651806
Willoughby, M. T., Piper, B., King, K. M., Nduku, T., Henny, C., & Zimmermann, S. (2021). Testing the Efficacy of the Red-Light Purple-Light Games in Preprimary Classrooms in Kenya. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.633049 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.633049
Xie, S., Lu, S., Lu, J., Gong, C., & Chang, C. (2024). Using mindfulness-based intervention to promote executive function in young children: A multivariable and multiscale sample entropy study. Cerebral Cortex, 34(9). https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhae330 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhae330
Zhou, Z., Chen, Y., Huang, K., Zeng, F., Liang, Z., Wang, N., Chen, Z., & Deng, C. (2024). Relationship between physical fitness and executive function in preschool children: a cross-sectional study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-024-01028-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-024-01028-8
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dayanara Belén Ortiz Chávez , Amanda Patricia Tipanta Sánchez , Nidia Irene Lalangui Quichimbo , Leonor Isabel Vásquez Mateo , Mayra Fernanda Sangucho Estrada
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Eres libre de:
- Compartir : copiar y redistribuir el material en cualquier medio o formato
- Adaptar : remezclar, transformar y desarrollar el material
- El licenciante no puede revocar estas libertades siempre y cuando usted cumpla con los términos de la licencia.
En los siguientes términos:
- Atribución : Debe otorgar el crédito correspondiente , proporcionar un enlace a la licencia e indicar si se realizaron cambios . Puede hacerlo de cualquier manera razonable, pero no de ninguna manera que sugiera que el licenciante lo respalda a usted o a su uso.
- No comercial : no puede utilizar el material con fines comerciales .
- CompartirIgual — Si remezcla, transforma o construye sobre el material, debe distribuir sus contribuciones bajo la misma licencia que el original.
- Sin restricciones adicionales : no puede aplicar términos legales ni medidas tecnológicas que restrinjan legalmente a otros hacer algo que la licencia permite.
