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Teaching fidgety kids requires patience and research. You need tools to help him learn, but that will not distract siblings. Tools for teaching fidgety kids can help.
I have a fidgety kid. He moves all the time. If he’s not moving I swear he can’t talk. I like quiet. I like stillness. Put the two of us together in a learning environment and we are like oil and water!
Teaching fidgety kids requires patience and research. I wanted tools to help him learn. I know that trying to STOP him fidgeting will hinder his learning. He learns differently than me. He learns differently than his sisters. He needs fidget tools to help him learn.
I began looking into tools for the classroom. This lead me to find some pretty amazing fidget tools, activity balls, and lots of fun things that could make our classroom the perfect place for a fidgety learner. The problem though is that my girls are very much like me. So, I wanted to find some fidget tools that would help him, but NOT distract my girls.
Here are 5 tools for teaching fidgety kids that do just that!
- Velcro– Years ago I had a daycare parent tell me to use this on my table for her fidgety son. I rolled my eyes (yes, I’m serious) and never did it. Now that I have a fidgety child I decided to give it a shot. It really does work. Place this underneath the table and it can be something for your child to fidget with. It’s always there, you can’t lose it, and it’s a great fidget tool.
- Essential Oils–I have found that I am eating my words more and more. I have now jumped onto the essential oil bandwagon. Kind of. While I was at the 2:1 conference I heard about Rocky Mountain Oils. I bought one of their kid blends and it worked wonders on my fidgety boy. I now diffuse Rocky Mountain Oils Attention Assist in our school room and it helps all of us have a better attention span.
- Bouncy Band– This has made a HUGE difference in my son. He was constantly moving his legs and wanting to get up and down. UNTIL we put one of these bands on his school chair. I swear it keeps him in place and still allows him to move.
- Silly Putty – My boy loves play doh, and it keeps him still for long periods of time but it is SO messy we can’t use it during school. So, instead, we use silly putty. It is cleaner and still serves the same purpose. It’s a great way to keep those hands busy and the minds alert.
- Fidget Tools – These are great for a child to play with under the table, fidget with while being read to, or use while studying for a test.
- Mini Trampoline– After this post published many of you commented here and on FB that a mini trampoline was a great tool for fidgety kids. SO, I ended up finding one used local to me and my boy LOVES it. We do a few minutes of sit down activity and when I see him fidgeting I send him to jump. My husband also pointed out that in the evenings when he used to pace after dinner and before bed, he’s now going to his trampoline to work out his energy and calm down. I highly recommend one of these!
But wait, I said this post would give 10 tools for teaching fidgety kids, right? Well, there are. But, the next tools are a little too active for me. That doesn’t mean we may never use them, but for now, we are trying the above tools first.
ADHD Tools for the Classroom
- Wiggle Seat-I have a few friends whose children are in a public school classroom. They have implemented these seats for some of the students who have been diagnosed with ADHD. I heard it works wonders!
- Excercise Ball-I can totally see how this would be a great seat for a child with ADHD. There are tons of articles and resources out there that say this tool works because it keeps kids sitting down, while still allowing them to move.
Tools for the Mom of a Fidgety Kid
The next tools I want to share are for YOU the homeschool mom of a fidgety kid. You see, teaching a fidgety kid takes a lot out of you. It’s exhausting. I know. So, I think it’s important for us to educate ourselves on our children’s learning needs. I also think it’s important to get encouragement and support. These tools do just that.
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Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential–Active and fidgety kids learn differently. It doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them. This book encourages parents to help their kids reach their potential by understanding how their mind works.
- Taking Charge of ADHD, Third Edition: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents–I have not read this book yet, but I have it and plan on reading it as soon as I finish Smart but Scattered. It gets great reviews!
- Homeschool Moms Bible – I have had this bible for over three years and still bring it out every day. It gives me the encouragement I need to wake up and handle the tasks of a homeschool mom.
Are you the parent of a fidgety kid? What tools for fidgeting kids have you found work for homeschoolers? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback!
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We have a ball now for him to sit on. It does help a lot! Thanks for sharing your tips 🙂
For my son, who is in school at the moment, we got a yoga ball chair. It lets him bounce, but is a little more stationary. I’m hoping that when he comes home next year, it will be a good tool for us here, as well.
He also has a wiggle seat that he can take to other classrooms, and that has also been useful. So I can confirm that one too. His issues are mainly with anxiety rather than ADHD, but the ball and seat have made a big difference for him!
That’s pretty much what we are using. My hubby got it when he was in PT. Glad to know I’m not the only who went the free route!
We used a theraband I had sitting around from PT ages ago and tied it around the table legs. Helps keep his legs active like the Bouncy Band but for us it was free and has lasted a year and a half so far.
Best thing we ever added to our home. Gets used EVERY day.
Between you guys and a few people on Facebook you all talked me into a trampoline. Bought one used last night and hubby is picking it up today 🙂
We also have had a mini trampoline in the living room for a year now and it does get used every day. She tends to do gymnastics on the bed when I read and I let it be. It helps that she’s an only child (noone besides mom to bump into 😉).
These are great tips, thank you! I have had a few recommend the mini trampoline. I’ve not gotten that brave yet. We had a big one, he broke his arm on it over the summer :/
Frequent movement breaks are great. My little guy jumps on the mini trampoline and counts to 100. Comfy blankets to provide weight to calm down during reading are great and to sit in a small enclosed area to focus without distractions.