Übungssammlung (IO2)

Dual Task [3]

Short description

Movement tasks with divided attention

Category

Motor skillsConcentration & Working Memory

Group size

SOLO PAIRS SMALL GROUPS CLASS

Materials

Balls, a course, or skipping rope

Duration

3-5 minutes per child

Level

3️⃣

Goal of this exercise is to improve

  • the ability to concentrate

  • of attention

  • the working memory

Combining a motor task with a cognitive task activates the brain and requires a lot of attention and concentration.

Instruction

This exercise combines a motor task with a cognitive task. While one motor task is being performed, a second cognitive task must be performed at the same time.

Physical exercises can be:

  • Race through a course

  • Balance

  • Jump

  • throw and catch

  • Juggle

  • or similar

A suitable cognitive task is, for example:

  • starting with the number 2, adding 2, multiplying by 2, etc

  • count backwards from 10 or 100

  • recite a rhyme

  • recite a rhyme

  • say a tongue twister

Tips
Combining a physical task with a cognitive task is harder for the brain to solve than one might think. Since you can only consciously concentrate on one thing at a time, your brain is really challenged here. Such a divided attention exercise is a good workout for working memory.

Background information for further reading

Cognition and consciousness

Attention

Processes of perception