Cardiff parents are among the most concerned, as new research highlights growing worries over children’s shrinking attention spans across Wales
More than eight in ten parents in Wales say their child cannot concentrate for the duration of a full school lesson, according to new research highlighting growing concerns over children’s attention spans.
A study commissioned by Harrows Darts found that 82.2% of Welsh parents believe their child can focus for no more than 30 minutes before becoming distracted. This is around 15 minutes less than the average secondary school lesson.
The concern is even more pronounced in Cardiff, where 68.8% of parents say they are worried about their child’s ability to concentrate for extended periods, compared with 58% of parents across Wales.
The research also found children and teenagers can concentrate for an average of just 21 minutes before their attention begins to drift, prompting concern among families that modern screen habits are making it harder for young people to stay focused, persevere with tasks and get the most from their education.
Across Wales, parents believe the issue is being felt both inside and outside the classroom, with many worried growing screen use is affecting children’s ability to learn, socialise and develop confidence.
Screen time remains one of the biggest concerns for Welsh families. Parents believe the causes extend far beyond social media, pointing to short-form video platforms, gaming and fast-paced digital entertainment as major contributors to shrinking attention spans. Nationally, more than four in ten parents said their child spends at least three hours a day on screens, while one in eight said they spend five hours or more.
Many parents also believe children are finding it harder to persevere with activities, cope with frustration and develop patience, raising concerns that the effects are extending beyond education into everyday life.
Despite these challenges, Welsh parents are optimistic that practical, hands-on activities can help. Nationally, 85% believe screen-free activities improve children’s concentration and social interaction, while more than two-thirds said they would support darts being introduced into schools.
Teachers are witnessing many of the same challenges. A 2025 global survey by Cambridge International found that 88% of teachers believe students’ attention spans are getting shorter, reinforcing concerns that sustained concentration is becoming increasingly difficult in classrooms.
Harrows Darts believes schools have an opportunity to help tackle the issue by introducing activities that reward focus, patience and perseverance.
Its NxtGen: Harrows in Education programme has been developed to help secondary schools introduce darts in a structured educational setting, using the sport to support concentration, mental maths, resilience, confidence and wellbeing.
Following a successful pilot, schools across the UK are now being invited to join the programme. NxtGen provides schools with a complete darts education package, including dartboards, surrounds, oche mats, darts, scoring equipment, branded flights, setup guidance and teacher-written lesson plans, making it easy to introduce the sport safely while linking activities to the curriculum.