I've seen children have amazing 'attention to detail' and I think there's a simple explanation: they don't have anything to do other than look at the world. In fact, their entire existence in early years is in dealing with understanding the world.

I saw this in action the other day in a local coffee shop. In front of me was a mother with a child of about 4 who pointed out to her mother than high on a shelf above Italian coffee machine was a small, plastic toy from the children's program "In the Night Garden".

I certainly hadn't noticed it and neither had the mother. Which isn't surprising because the mother (and I) were in the coffee shop with a head full of other stuff (buying coffee, work thoughts, relationship thoughts, etc. etc.) The four year old was in full observe the entire world mode. Given that he didn't have a purpose (like buying coffee) he was free to look around.