Movement Sticks: Calm Your Kids with a Free Printable!

As I've mentioned before, kids are getting less and less opportunities to move throughout their days. With the addition of the new common core standards even students in the lower elementary grades are now required to sit for continuous instruction time anywhere from 60-90 minutes at a stretch!

Movement of all kinds - climbing, jumping, spinning, running, etc. - is not only important to help kids get out "extra energy," but also very organizing and calming to the body. From a sensory perspective, these kinds of activities provide proprioceptive (deep pressure, heavy input to the joints and muscles of the body) and vestibular (balance system) input. Both of these sensory inputs - especially proprioception - play an integral role in a child's ability to maintain body control and even pay attention in the classroom.


So in stead of continuing to complain about the ridiculous common core set-up, I decided to take action. I took inspiration from this post over at Keep Calm & Teach On and created these movement sticks below. (All blue & green activities are created by me, with the other colors inspired by Keep Calm & Teach On).

It's a way to add in some quick movement breaks during the day to help kids stay on task and ready to learn. These can easily be performed in any classroom or even at home as part of a homeschool set-up or even as a way to get your children to calm their bodies in preparation for bedtime!

 

Included in the .pdf download below are three pages of movement ideas - 36 activities in all - with corresponding cards explaining how to perform each activity. There's a wide variety of choices, including:

• Group Games
• Relaxation & Breathing Strategies
• Yoga
• Individual Strategies
• and more!

 

You can grab the .pdf file here to get your free copy of all 36 activities!

Let me know what you think and how they work for you. Do you or your kids have any favorites from the set? What other activities do you use to help your kids be the "boss of their bodies"? Let us know in the comments!

Easy Low-Budget DIY Sensory Vest

I have several students on my caseload that have big time sensory needs. Both of our children, 6 & 3, are also a little funky when it comes to sensory input. Our 3-year-old son is a sensory seeker, which in layman's terms means he's "on the go" or "all boy" as my grandmother likes to say!

One of the best strategies I've found to help kids be the "boss of their body" as I say in school a lot is to use what's called a hug vest. Somewhat similar to a weighted vest, the hug vest provides great proprioceptive (deep pressure) input to a child's body - kind of like a big, continuous bear hug! Proprioceptive input is very organizing for the brain and nervous system, which in turn helps children slow down their bodies and get them under control (hence "boss of your body"!).

While the hug vest has been a great tool for me and for many of the children I see, it's not always the most economical choice. The cost for a hug vest can range anywhere from $45 to $100 and up! So I decided to go on a search to see what I could find to make my own. Originally I was thinking about using a lumbar support brace, but the stores in my rural town didn't really have what I was hoping for. But, I was able to find some great alternatives in the fitness section at WalMart!

Let's see below:

 1. This waist trimmer is made of neoprene material - perfect to simulate the piece of the hug vest that wraps around the trunk. For $5, that's a no-brainer!

 2. The thigh slimmers, also made of neoprene - but slightly thinner, are a perfect simulation for the shoulder straps once cut down the middle. These come two for $10 in a box. Again, score!

 3. Here's a terrible picture of the thigh slimmer cut length-wise to make the shoulder straps.

 4. Here's our son Noah, the sensory seeker, modeling the final product. Notice that the straps are criss-crossed and then tucked under the first layer of the trunk wrap. No need to sew additional velcro to secure! Two points for that!

 5. A view from the back. Again, terrible pic!


















And how did Noah like the final product?

He was totally digging his "work vest" and was a new kid! No more climbing on tables, running around the house, throwing things for the heck of it. I think that's why I love sensory strategies - they truly help bring out the best in kids!

Do you have any DIY sensory strategies that you find helpful? What are the tools you use the most for kids with sensory needs? Definitely shout the out in the comments. The more tricks we have in our sensory bags, the better we're able to help kids be the "boss of their bodies"!