We all have fidgety students and it is natural and normal. Kids need to move! Unfortunately, there are times where movement can be distracting or not appropriate. This post has ideas to help you and your fidgety students.
First, let me say that my classroom allows for lots of movement. We do literacy centers, math centers, and we transition to different areas of the room multiple times a day. If my students want to stand they can, my only rule is “push your chair in and stand behind it.” I know I can’t stand it if I have to sit still for long periods of time (except for Netflix binges; Gilmore Girls anyone?)! So my first tip for you is:
1. Build Movement into Your Schedule!
My favorite center activities involve searching, reading, and writing the room.
I have a few freebies in my TpT store for searching the room and you can check them out {HERE}, I also always included Search the Room in all my phonics based literacy center packets! You can even order a whole class set of clipboards from Amazon.
Buddy reading in the book nook also promotes movement. The students can lay down, sit criss-cross applesauce, or sit on a bench to read with their buddy.
Don’t forget to schedule breaks into your day! GoNoodle is FREE and great for brain breaks.
2. Give Visual Reminders for Expected Listening Behaviors.
You can read more about Whole Body Listening {HERE}. *I might have white out the feet are down and still now that I have #3 below.
3. Let Them Fidget!
Yup, you can let them fidget. I have found the perfect fidget band for you, too! When I was in Orlando for the TpT convention, I was at the blogger meet up and we were giving away these things called Bouncy Bands. I had never heard of them before but I was intrigued. So I got ONE set of desk bands and I put them on a desk of a really fidgety kid. Guess what? We both loved them. I emailed Scott and asked if I could get a discount code for myself if I blogged about them and he suggested we offer the discount code to all my readers. So very generous of him! The code is super easy to remember: ERICA.
To order:
1. Click the image below.
2. For 20% off (this is a HUGE discount for them) use the coupon code: ERICA
Still not convinced? Check out the video below of me explaining how to use Bouncy Bands:
If you are looking for ways to fund Bouncy Bands for your classroom, why not write a Donors Choose grant. Check out this post on Bouncy Bands for tips on how to do just that!
I hope this post helped you.
Feel free to pin this post!
