Building Attention Through Shared Play & Turn-Taking

A practical guide to helping children build attention, turn-taking, and shared play skills. Includes simple strategies to support engagement, interaction, and early communication through play.
By Yasmin Akhtar, Speech & Language Therapist

Attention is one of the key building blocks for communication, play, and learning. If your child finds it hard to stay with an activity, take turns, join in with another person, or focus long enough to engage in shared play, Building Attention Through Shared Play & Turn-Taking is a practical parent guide designed to help.

Created by a Speech and Language Therapist, this downloadable PDF explains how attention and turn-taking develop in the early years and why these skills are so important for language, interaction, and learning. It looks at what can make shared attention difficult for some children, including differences in regulation, sensory needs, communication development, and the challenge of staying engaged with another person for longer periods of time.

Inside, you’ll find practical ways to build attention and turn-taking through simple, enjoyable interactions rather than pressure or sitting tasks. The guide explores how to use motivating play, repetition, anticipation, movement, and predictable routines to help your child stay engaged, notice another person, and begin to enjoy the back-and-forth nature of interaction. It also includes ideas for children who prefer to play alone or move quickly from one activity to another.

This guide includes:

• A clear explanation of why attention and turn-taking matter for communication
• Help understanding why some children find shared play difficult
• Practical strategies to build attention through simple play routines and interaction
• Ideas for encouraging turn-taking without pressure
• Support for children who move quickly between activities or struggle to stay engaged
• Parent-friendly examples you can use at home straight away

Ideal for parents of toddlers and young children who need support with attention, turn-taking, and early interaction, this guide will help you feel more confident in building these skills naturally through play. Warm, practical, and easy to follow, Building Attention Through Shared Play & Turn-Taking offers realistic strategies that support connection, communication, and engagement together.