Quick Tips for Teaching a Fidgety Child

In the most famous TED Talk ever, Sir Ken Robinson told the story of a girl named Gillian Lynne. In the 1930s, she was a young girl who struggled in school because she was often fidgety and couldn’t sit still in class. At that time, she was brought to a specialist who accurately diagnosed her condition.

“Mrs. Lynne,” the specialist told her mother, “Gillian isn’t sick. She’s a dancer. Take her to a dance school.”

From there, Gillian blossomed into a ballerina and a world-famous choreographer known for her work in the Broadway shows Cats and The Phantom of the Opera.

The point of this story is that all children are uniquely created in the image of God, and each child is blessed with his/her own gifts that can be used to praise Him. Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner would describe Gillian as someone with a high bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, who often learns best through movement. If you have a child who needs movement like Gillian, try these quick tips for teaching a fidgety child:

Assign Chores
If your child needs to be moving, why not make your breaks productive at the same time? “Without fail, after a load of laundry has been changed over or the recycling has been taken out, the boys are ready and focused to get back to work,” wrote Dayna, who also provided a printable chore chart on her Lemon Lime Adventures blog.

Try a Different Chair
Unlike a traditional chair, product brands like KoreStool allow movement during sitting without compromising stability. An exercise or therapy ball provides another option, although the stool is assured to stay in the same place once the child stands.

Create a Sensory Bin
While there are many ways to help young children embrace and explore their senses, one of the easiest ways is setting up a sensory bin. Sensory bins allow children to personally engage with objects and take in learning benefits that include improving fine motor skills, understanding language, solving problems, and simply being creative.

Make Your Own Calming Bottle
Especially useful for children who are in preschool or younger, calming bottles are easy to make and appropriately named.

Set Limits
Just because a child may need extra freedom in movement doesn’t mean there aren’t limits. In fact, it may be even more crucial for your child to know where you draw the line. “Your fidgeter needs to have set limits on what you expect just like with all behaviors,” wrote Dayna on her Lemon Lime Adventures blog. “Let them know what it looks like ahead of time, what you will allow and not allow, and practice.”

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