Have you noticed some students who just can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves? These are some "tricks" that might be particularly helpful in the weeks ahead.
Get a box and write “brain toys” on the it. Next, get some old socks and tie knots in them. When children need to focus invite them to get a “brain toy” from the box. They can hold the sock, untie it, tie knots, and give their fingers something to do.
I’ve had teachers say, “Well, what if everybody wants a sock?” Who cares? Get a sock for everyone. The main goal is to give children an outlet that is acceptable, quiet, and won’t bother another student.
A similar idea came from a first grade teacher. She gave each of her students a jumbo craft stick to decorate. They tied a 20” piece of string to their sticks and kept them in their desks. When their hands got “figdgety” they could get out their fiddle sticks and wind and unwind the string.
One of the simplest ideas for fidgety fingers came from a teacher a few weeks ago who taught her children to cross their fingers and wiggle their thumbs. Then she challenged them to wiggle their index fingers, pinkies, etc.
You just never know what will work until you try! I recall a teacher who kept a bottle of lotion on her desk and called it “self control lotion.” When her students were having trouble paying attention she would give them a squirt of lotion and tell them to rub it in. They believed her just like Dumbo believed he could fly with the feather in his trunk! Her students would actually come up to her and say, “I need a little self control lotion.”
