Homeschooling but your kid has the "wiggles"?
Do your kids get the wiggles?? you know - when they just can't sit still for more than a few minutes (or seconds) at a time?
As a homeschooling mum of 5 very active boys ( & 2 active little girls!) I know ALL about the wiggles and we came up with a few creative ways to help so the wiggles could get out, rather than being held in but only to explode out later in the worst ways.
Our solution has been to offer as much movement into our days as the kids want and need. A big part of that movement is balance boards.
We have ended up with quite a range of different balance boards now but we started with the simple round ones from either the Warehouse or Kmart. At around $15 each they are affordable and are fabulous for either movement breaks OR to have under the feet at the table while sit down written work is being done.
It is quite fascinating to watch a pair of feet move frantically underneath the table while copy work is being achieved above the table.
Tennis balls or similar rubber balls also work really well and can be moved from one foot to the other, rolled on the ball of the foot to the heel - almost a foot massage! My personal favourite is the round textured inflatable balance cushions. With these the feet can gently pushing on the cushion and the upper texture gives great stimulation to the soles of the feet. It is also not as easily lost (or thrown at an unsuspecting sibling) as a ball might be.
Now math facts can be learnt while jumping on chalk numbers outside or called out while hanging upside down from a tree but with winter in NZ getting outside isn't always possible and this is where the inside movement boards become a parents homeschooling sanity saver!
These boards have helped our kids to have constant movement throughout their days even when stuck inside on a cold, wet winters day. Adults, teens, young teens, primary and toddlers all use these boards in our house, almost on a daily basis as they are now always out. They will often just jump on one of the balance boards while walking past - have a quick rock back and forth and then continue on with whatever they were doing.
This has allowed their bodies to get the movement they need which has allowed their minds to calm and focus on the task at hand, whether it is English, Math, Writing or even sitting still to do colouring with a younger sibling.
At one point one winter we had an indoor swing! Visiting children thought is was the best thing ever!! We have needed to re arrange the lounge since and it needed to move outside but it is now under cover where they can still have a swing and hang upside down if it is raining. I always wanted a fabric swing but unfortunately we haven't got the room! I have heard great things about them especially for regulating kids with extra sensory needs.
We thankfully have a hammock and are blessed to have a place undercover to hang it - even if it is in our walkway! Our family get a lot of use out of it - our little ones use it as a swing, our older ones as a place for a little piece and quiet or a place to curl up and read a good book in the sun.
We also have these awesome fold out portable lap tables - this has encouraged the kids to do work outside, in their bedrooms on the floor, sitting on the couch, sitting in the lounge or just where ever they feel like it - it allows freedom of choice of where and how they do their work, art, puzzles, games - whatever is occupying their time. There are plastic ones available from the likes of the warehouse or Kmart and more solid wooden ones from online. We got ours second hand from marketplace on FB.
We encourage you to think outside the box when it comes to where and how your kids do their work - little ones can learn math facts playing card games, jumping on numbers outside (or inside - we made cool A4 Laminated numbers for inside math play) but there does come a time when a certain amount of written work is needed and this is where movement boards, cushions and balls really are amazing.
Do you have things your kids (and you) can move on throughout the day? Would you consider having more in your house? What has worked for your family?