Objective: To explore the mechanism and effect of acute and long‐term exercise on children and adolescents' attention. Methods: the relevant research literature on the effects of acute exercise and long‐term exercise on children's and adolescents' attention was searched, and the effects of different exercise variables such as exercise type, cycle, duration, frequency and intensity on children's and adolescents' attention were analyzed and compared. Results: many studies have proved that various forms of acute and long‐term exercise with medium and high intensity can improve the attention of children and adolescents, and help to improve their learning performance. Some studies also show that acute and long‐term exercise do not significantly improve the attention level of children and adolescents. Conclusion: acute and long‐term exercise can positively improve the attention of children and adolescents as a whole.