Growing Focus & Self-Control

At Bloomsbury, we care deeply about helping children build the brain skills that set them up for life: focus, memory, flexibility, and self-control. Scientists call these executive function skills. You can think of them as the brain’s “air-traffic control system” that helps children:

• Start and finish tasks
• Stay focused
• Manage big feelings
• Switch between activities

These skills don’t just appear on their own. They grow through everyday routines, relationships, and practice, especially in the early years.

Why Montessori Works So Well for Executive Function

Our Montessori classrooms are designed to give children just the right mix of freedom, responsibility, and guidance:

• Choice within limits → builds independence and self-regulation
• Hands-on, step-by-step materials → strengthen memory and self-control
• Uninterrupted work time → helps children reach deep focus
• Real, meaningful tasks → give children a sense of responsibility and purpose

What This Looks Like in Action

Toddlers (18 months to 3 years)

Goals: learning to calm with an adult’s help, building attention span, practicing simple memory and impulse control.
In the classroom:

• Short, gentle lessons in social skills
• Practical tasks like pouring, sweeping, and carrying
• Predictable routines and order
• Quick “reps” of attention, short bursts of focus that grow stronger over time

At home: Try one or two simple rituals (child carries their plate, wipes the table) or a fun call-and-response game.

Primary (3 to 6 years)

Goals: longer concentration, flexible thinking, and growing independence.
In the classroom:

• A daily 2 to 3 hour uninterrupted work cycle
• Freedom to choose activities, balanced with accountability
• Materials that stretch memory and thinking
• Daily practice in cooperation and perspective-taking

At home: Give your child a regular “kitchen job” (for example, washing veggies or setting the table) and encourage them to talk through their plan out loud.

How Adults Help (Parents & Teachers Together)

1. Model it, support it, then step back so children can try on their own.
2. Name the skill (“You remembered the steps, that’s your working memory!”).
3. Share progress often between school and home.

Our Core Practices at Bloomsbury

• Protecting a long, focused work period every day
• Keeping classrooms calm, orderly, and predictable
• Offering choice within clear boundaries
• Prioritizing Practical Life activities and social skills
• Partnering with families through simple, repeatable home routines

Bottom Line

Children grow the brain systems for focus and self-control through everyday practice. At Bloomsbury, we create the environments, routines, and partnerships that make this growth natural, joyful, and lasting.