Róisín is a Fidget.  She is on the go from morning to night.  Even in her sleep, she squirms in the bed, kicking off the covers and sometimes ending up on the floor!   Her need to move can often result in her getting into trouble at school.  She isn’t being disruptive on purpose; she is simply a fidgety kid that needs sensory input in order to focus.

The trick is to find ways that allow the child to fidget, without disrupting the entire class or annoying the hell out of the teacher.

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When children come to us at Hummingbird Learning Centre, their parents stay for the session as well.  Thinking that it must annoy me, parents will often interject when their child fidgets, telling the child to put things down or to sit still.  The truth is; I’m never bothered by it, in fact, I will often give a child something to fidget with.  You see, it’s not the child fidgeting that is the problem. It is the way the observer reacts to the fidgeting that is the issue.

There was a time when it would have driven me crazy, but now I realise that it is simply fulfilling a physical need and not a sign of disinterest.  I know that fidgeting actually helps many children to focus so I made a conscious decision to change my reaction to it.  I cannot control how any child fidgets, but I can control how I react to those actions.  By choosing to see a fidget as a positive, it no longer bothers me.  When it no longer bothers me, the kids can only use it to help themselves get focused rather than attempt to distract me with it.

So here are some really useful fidgets to use in school:

  1. Air-filled rubber toy: These are always the favourite fidget at Hummingbird Learning Centre.  God love the poor fidgets – they are squeezed and squashed and dangled & plucked at.  The kids just love them and it’s amazing how they automatically reach for them when they need to get themselves focused.  They are especially great to work out any frustrations.
  2. Pipe Cleaners:  Pipe cleaners remind me of my grandpa and Christmas presents. I love the feel of them. Nowadays they are mainly used for crafts and come in lots of different colours and sizes.  Not only do they feel great but they can be quietly bent into all kinds of shapes and are silent too – perfect!
  3. Worry stone: You can buy these in health food shops or indeed lots of craft shops have them too.  Why not find a little pebble when out for a walk or in the garden? It makes it more personal.  Take care to ensure that it is a little light pebble to avoid injury if it was thrown.
  4. Marla / Plasticine / Blu tack:  Who doesn’t love pulling apart or rolling marla? (Marla is the Irish word for plasticine, play dough or silly putty).  I also suggest Blu tack – it has a little more resistance which also makes it a great option for kids with dyspraxia.  The kids can stretch and squeeze while quietly sitting at their desk.
  5. Velcro:  Placing some sticky-backed Velcro onto a ruler or even under the desk will give the child something to touch.  Use both the hook side & the soft side – the contrast will make it a better fidget.
  6. Sensory bracelets:  These are specialist bracelets which are excellent for children who need oral sensory tools as they are chewable.  Wearing the fidget is a great way of ensuring it’s always at hand
  7. Nail file: Now before you think I’m giving a child a lethal weapon, I mean the emery board or spongy nail file.  They come in all shapes, sizes and colours.  They can be easily kept in a pencil case and offers great sensory support.

Fidgeting is a real issue. It is not bad behaviour, rather a strong indicator that children are not getting enough movement throughout the day. Ideally, they would be playing outside a lot more but that can be difficult in the modern world. So in order to counteract that, allow those kids, who need to fidget to focus, fidget.

It is not bad behaviour, rather a strong indicator that children are not getting enough movement throughout the day. Ideally, they would be playing outside a lot more but that can be difficult in the modern world. So in order to counteract that, allow those kids, who need to fidget to focus, fidget.

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