Bumpy seat: textured seat provides plenty of texture and will even let your wiggler move from side to side without falling out of his/her seat. You can buy this at your local Wal-mart, Target, or sporting good store.
Bouncy seat: Sitting on an exercise or balance ball helps your wiggler get the wiggles out. There are different type of balls. If you have a tile floor, I recommend that you invest in the balls with sand in them so the balls don't roll away. You can buy these at your local Wal-mart, Target, or sporting good store. You might also check with your gym to see if they would give you their old exercise balls.
Fidgets: Give your wigglers something to do with their hands. There are many commercial made fidgets like the long, skinny erasers. I like to make homemade ones out of a balloon and lentils. You can also put other things such as flour or sand in the balloon. Use a funnel to put the lentils in the balloon. Don't buy cheap balloons, or they will break quickly!
You get more ideas here:
9 comments:
I've never seen the bumpy seat before! Does it eventually get uncomfortable and need to be removed?
Just a suggestion about the balloons - I actually double mine up so there is a second layer of balloon. I also enjoy using softer materials in the inside, like flour.
For more ideas about fidgets you can make, check out my "make your own fidgets" on pinchxeverything.blogspot.com.
One of the students I used the bumpy seat with liked to use it all of the time. The other students used it as needed (when they were having a particularly wiggly day).
Thanks Michelle.
The bumpy seat is also known as a balance disk. It has two sides, one is less bumpy than the other. Just like Michelle said, it depends on the child. My son uses the big bumpy for a little while, then turns over for less bumpy for a while then removes. The disk is also good for standing on to balance while listening to instruction! Not sure how well that would work in a classroom, but it works well at home for mundane instruction and exercising balance.
There are two things teachers and parents forget about ADHD kids.
1) A lot of them have problems with transitions. By the time they have their thoughts together to do a task, the task time is over. Try having a timer for the child so that they know and can prepare themselves for when a transition will be happening. Could be as simple as a 3 minute egg timer.
2) Some ADHD kids need time to decompress. Mine calls it corner time. Basically it is a time they have to block out stimuli to let their brains rest or catch up. Mine also likes to skip recess to sit (or help teacher) in a quiet classroom.
so true! I used to also keep noise canceling head phones in my room for the kids to borrow when they needed them (and it wasn't a lecture, movie, or discussion portion of a class). I also kept spray so they stayed hygenic. Thanks for the reminder!
Children who are known to have ADHD usually have the signs of inattentiveness, hyperactivity, impulsivity, or incorrect conduct. A kid who has ADHD usually has difficulties in concentrating on a certain process as well as in concluding them. When not instantly acknowledged and appropriate ADHD procedure is not given, ADHD can adverse results on the kid's efficiency in university and probably in the work environment in later years.ADHD Diagnostic test
My school (K-6) typically starts with a lean-n-learn seat as the first step in OT seating accommodations as it's slightly wiggly, tactile, and supports posture. We use the circular seat as a next step because it has much more wiggle to it. As others have mentioned, it depends entirely on the student. Another option is to tie a high-resistance exercise band around the two front legs of the chair for students to bounce their feet on. If your classroom has chairs with metal legs and those little adjustable feet, try making one slightly shorter so the chair can wobble slightly. Some kids like this, some find it very off-putting. The most important thing is student-teacher-parent communication. If a child is on medication, or has a diagnosis, they will be more likely to qualify for additional services (OT, resource room, etc). Also, my students (first graders) are so wiggly in general, we incorporate movement and body breaks to help them stay focused :)
Lean-n-learn: http://funandfunction.com/dynamic-wedge-cushion-p-635.html
I have tried many of these things, and also standing desks, but have yet to see them increase focus in my students. Often a fidget item becomes a distraction itself, not a help in staying tuned in.
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