Computer Games that Help to Develop Focus

In a previous post, I wrote about activities that you can do with your children to help improve their focus (and self-control) – one of the 7 important life skills that we need to be successful in life as highlighted in Mind in the Making. One of the activities recommended was playing computer games that promote focus. Although Galinsky describes some of these games, she was not able to refer parents to any specific games they could used.

Since playing Lumosity, I have noticed that a number of their brain training games achieve the same effect as the games described by Galinsky in her book Mind in the Making.

Speed Match

For instance, in the game “Speed Match”, you need to identify whether the card shown is the same or different from the card shown before it. The exercise is simple enough, but when you have to do it quickly, errors start to crop up. The aim is to proceed through the deck as quickly as possible without making any mistakes.

Lost in Migration

“Lost in Migration” is another game on Lumosity that helps to promote focus and attention. In this game, you are shown a flock of birds in migration. The goal is to use the arrow keys to identify which direction the bird in the center of the flock is flying in. Again, another simple task, but when you are racing against the clock, it is easy to be distracted by the other birds.

Color Match

Another game on Lumosity is a variation of the stroop test but more challenging. You are shown two words describing a colour. The word on top is supposed to describe the colour of that the word below is printed in. You need to identify whether it is correct or incorrect. Again, you are racing against time and it is easy to get confused because the colour of both words change. For example, the following is correct:

Meaning: blue
Colour: green

But this is not:

Meaning: yellow
Colour: black

In a regular stroop test, you need to remember that you are looking at the colour that the word is written in and not the colour that the word describes. In this test, you have to constantly switch between reading the word and identifying the colour it is written in.

These are just some of the games on Lumosity that I have tried which I felt were great for developing focus, concentration and attention. There are more available.