Difficulty Sitting Still
Q. I homeschool my three children and two of them have difficulty sitting still. Can you recommend any strategies?
A. Here are examples of strategies that can be effective:
- Have at least one standing desk where the children can take turns standing to work instead of sitting
- Instead of a chair at the sitting desk, get one of those big balls as sitting on one of them uses continuous muscle activity
- Designate a movement corner where children can go for 1-2 minutes any time they want to move around quietly
- Some children (often males) do well with ear phones playing classical music while they work
- Orchestrate an activity break for 1 minute (jumping jacks) every 12-15 minutes during class time
- Provide each child with a small squeezy-ball or brain or heart that he or she can squeeze with one hand while writing with the other
The sky is the limit....