Fidget Toys

10/20/2015

Sometimes we need a bridge and sometimes we are the bridge. No one I know has escaped troubled waters, rough seas and challenging, scary days. There are times in our lives when we could use a little help, and other times when we are given the chance to be that help for someone else. It really doesn’t matter where you are right now. What matters is that you remember we are stronger together, and taking a hand is just as important as offering one.
Paul Boynton, Author of Begin with Yes

"Four-year-old Julie arrives at school at the same time every morning. The victim of a mother who abused drugs while in utero, Julie is a child forgotten. Her foster mother gives little regard to Julie's personal hygiene, so Julie comes to school each day un-bathed and unkempt. Her clothes are worn and tattered. Her nose is runny. Her hair is always greasy. And her skin is dry and cracked, evidenced by her ashy arms and elbows....

"It's no wonder the other children in Julie's class are turned off by her. Julie can be very impulsive, and when she displays tantrum behaviors that are aggressive in nature, it's best to stay out of her way. She hits, kicks, screams, and bites when she can't have what she wants, and she can be very possessive of classroom toys. During structured activities (such as circle time), she displays disruptive behaviors by running around the room, or worse, running out of the room. Her communication skills are limited, and as a result of her inability to express her wants, needs, thoughts or ideas, she'll aggressively strike anyone who's within arm's reach, as a means of getting her point across."

In his article "Julie's Story," which is included in the Exchange Essential: Crafting an Inclusive Curriculum, Craig Gibson describes a variety of strategies he proposed to Julie's Head Start teachers to help her participate in activities including:

"Fidget Toys: When sitting for structured activities, many children simply don't know what to do with their hands. They may be observed fidgeting with the rug, or might even put their hands on the child sitting next to them.... Instead of disrupting the flow of your circle time routine, try giving the child a fidget toy. Fidget toys may include manipulatives such as small cars, Koosh balls; a straw, clay, a rubber duck; or another toy of their choosing...."

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