What are fidget toys? How do the different shapes of fidget toys help kids learn and manage anxiety? Are fidget toys effective tools or classroom distractions?
There are a lot of claims that fidgets toys have been very useful tools in improving concentration and focus in students with ADHD.
Fidget toys…. fidget spinners… Kids love them, adults tolerate them. They were the fad of 2017 and now you can buy them for at least half price everywhere.
Many schools banned them, but are they actually useful for some children? We can find out.
Many children with anxiety do benefit from having a fidget toy of some sort to fiddle with in their hands and fidget spinners are just one option available. Fidget spinners and fidget cubes are just a more modern version of the old stress balls that we collect at conferences. And yes, they can be useful tools to help concentration and attention, in the right place at the right time.
The fidget spinners and cubes are probably not the best choice for fidget toys in classrooms as they can be distracting to other children due to the noise, but let’s not throw out the whole concept.
This great infographic below and the link to it’s sister article outlines a few other options for fidget toys in class and for helping concentration for homework.
See the full article here for more info.
Click to Enlarge Image

Overwhelmed: A Child’s Safe Space

Written by Deb Hopper

Published in

Navigating through the day as a child can be an exhilarating, yet daunting process. There is the fun and joy of play, friends and family. There is also the challenge of meeting new people, the social challenges of interaction with play, the environmental challenge of coping with noise, lights and movement at preschool or school or at the supermarkets. Just as adults, if the challenges outweigh our capacity, children can experience stress and overwhelm.
The signs of overwhelm are exhibited differently between different children but may include:

• needing to take control of situations that may be seen as being bossy or dominant in play
• meltdowns and crying
• ‘behavioural’ issues, whining, clinginess or oppositional behaviour.

These signs or clues that your child may be overwhelmed may be shown more at home, at school or both. Many children can ‘hold it together’ at preschool or school, but once safe at home, they feel safe and their emotions overflow.
Other children find the preschool/school environment overwhelming and their stress cues/signs are more pronounced at school. Either way, it’s important to be a detective and notice the signs of overwhelm and once identified, put a plan of reducing this stress before it escalates.
It is also important to be aware that overwhelm may come from a combination of at least 2 sources. Mental or emotional overwhelm – feeling that the demands of a task are way too difficult, or sensory overwhelm – with factors of the environment being too much to handle. Examples of sensory overwhelm might include too much noise, glare or too much light, not liking the feeling of touch of some objects such as tags in shirts, seams in socks or messy glue.
How to create a safe space when your child is overwhelmed.
When a child shows signs of overwhelm, it’s important to provide a safe place. This might be a physically safe space, or it may be simply verbal acknowledgement that it looks as if things are difficult.
Five top ways to reduce overwhelm for a child may include:
1. Create a physical space in a corner of a room at home or in the classroom such as a small tent. A safe space could include cushions, fidget toys, favourite books, a bean bag half-filled so they can nestle in and feel safe, a heavy blanket, calm music and fairy lights or oil timers or oil toys. This can be called the safe space, or create a fun name for it that your child owns.
2. Have a conversation about the reason why they may feel overwhelmed. Tell them you want to help them, but that you need some clues as to why they feel this way and then tell them you can help think of some ways to make things easier.
3. Use a visual chart such as the Just Right Kids Technique Model (see link below) to help kids map and point out how they are feeling. A visual map helps them to identify how they feel and having them being able to communicate about this, can relieve some stress and worry.
4. Give them verbal permission that if they are feeling sad, overwhelmed, angry or mad that they can come and tell you, or that they can take themselves straight to the safe place.
5. Empower your child or the children you work with to know that having feelings and emotion, including being overwhelmed is normal, but that there are ways that we can help change how we feel, including using a safe space as in point 1 above.
As parents, carers and teachers, we tune in to the needs of the children in our life. However, sometimes we can become a little disconnected or busy and not notice the cues of overwhelm. Creating a sensory safe space is one strategy that can be used to help children cope with overwhelm. Teaching a child to have more independence in knowing their emotions and experimenting with strategies to reduce stress, is a great life skill that will be well used through to adult hood.
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Download this article to print easily here:Deb Hopper Overwhelmed-A-Childs-Safe-Space
Deb Hopper… Occupational Therapist, author, workshop presenter. Deb is passionate about empowering parents and educators to understand the underlying reasons of why children struggle with behaviour, self-esteem and sensory processing difficulties. A practicing Occupational Therapist, she understands the daily struggles that children, parents and teachers face.
Deb is the co-author of the CD Sensory Songs for Tots, and author of Reducing Meltdowns and Improving Concentration: The Just Right Kids Technique. The Just Right Kids Technique Model can be downloaded at: http://www.lifeskills4kids.com.au/just-right-kids-model/
You can contact Deb on 02 6555 9877. She is available for clinic and phone/ Skype consultations.

Keeping you sane during long trips!!

School holidays often equate to travelling long distances and often carry high expectations for family fun, bonding and memories. But, often as we turn the key in the car and the kilometres tick by, so too do our precious children turn on their keys of sibling rivalry and the back seat can accelerate into a mess of poking, whining and complaining. Suddenly the family holiday has lost its glow. How can you cope better with long trips?
What we all envisage as we load into the car is a holiday of happy and fun memories. So, how do we start the holiday off right and cruise into an awesome holiday? Wouldn’t it be great to arrive at our destination with a car load of happier children rather than a war zone emptying from the back seat.

5 top tips for long car trips to keep you sane this holiday season.

1. Involve your children in the planning. When children have a solid understanding of where you are going, how long you are there, what you will be doing, they will feel psychologically safe. Before the rush of packing the car (perhaps the weekend before), help them make a little ‘holiday book’ (fold over some A4 paper and staple down the side – keep it simple). In this book, create a weekly calendar grid and write in the main activities for each day that you are away. Draw a picture underneath for younger children or children who struggle with reading so they understand what is happening on each day. The rest of the book can be used for pasting in brochures, stickers or other memorabilia collected during the holiday.
2. In the car, encourage your children to use their ‘holiday book’. Create a front page for their book, and start decorating some of the pages. Have some blank pages for each of the long drives and get them to draw things they see on the way.  You can count red cars or trucks for example. This book can become a great memory book of what they did while away.
3. Limit screen time. Often iPads, phones or watching movies in the car is an easy way to occupy children and have a peaceful car. However, use this as a last resort and create ‘screen-free time’ during trips. It will help your child’s behaviour and their long term brain development. Don’t give in too quickly. Screen time disconnects families. Car trips are an opportunity to connect with your children. Try other alternatives for entertainment and for passing the time. Encourage your child to look out the window and explore the scenery visually. Actively point out interesting scenery, animals or bridges and talk about their features. Encourage them to write or draw interesting observations on the way. Ask questions. Be communicative about what you see. Make the most of the quality time together.
4. Listen to an audio book. Using audio books rather than watching DVDs stimulates children’s imaginations, and allows them to pass the time while still looking out and engaging with their environment around them. There are many fun audio books available these days. Download on an app or loan from your local library.
5. Keep those fidgeting fingers busy. Busy brains and busy fingers equal a happier car. To divert the inevitable poke and prodding or leaning on siblings, pack some fidget toys to keep little fingers busy. Visit your local $2 bargain shop and stock up on pipe-cleaners and crafty supplies that can be used in the back seat without too much mess.

Summer road trips with the family are a classic Australian holiday. But scorching heat, tight spaces and bickering siblings can spell disaster in a matter of seconds. Before you embark on your next long car ride make sure you’ve ticked all these boxes first.
Read more about Surviving Long Car Trips with Kids