Move to stay focused and alert

Move to Stay Focused and Alert

Movement is a necessary skill throughout all ages of development, but essential in our younger years. Our children are more sedentary due to an increase in passive lifestyles and the advances in technology.  As a result, we are seeing increased numbers of learning difficulties and decreased motor abilities in our children. Every movement action that one makes is a sensory-motor event and therefore has an impact on how the brain understands and reacts to the environment we are in.

Movement is processed in the vestibular system and is situated in the inner ear. We call it the GPS (global positioning system) of the brain. It tells us in which direction we are moving, it tells us if we are lying down or standing, and it helps us with balance and posture. It is also essential for our ability to maintain alert and focused on learning and doing work. Just like adults, children also start “falling asleep” at their desks if they have to remain still and quiet for long periods of time.

How do we as adults stay alert in meetings or listen to courses for long periods of time? When we start in the morning, we are awake, focused and engaged, but this does not last into a long day if we remain still and seated for longer periods. In order to maintain our concentration, we will start shifting in our chairs, stretching our backs or necks, start doodling or even start fidgeting with a pen or our hair or whatever we may have on hand. The simple, yet small movement will alert us to our postures and wake the vestibular system in order to help us remain focused on what we are doing.

Just imagine how more productive our children will be if they are given more movement breaks during the day. Regular movement breaks will help them to stay focused for longer periods of time. They will be calmer and behave more appropriately in the classroom, and they will be more engaging in their learning process.

Here are some simple, yet effective movement breaks for the classrooms:

  • Stand and stretch
  • Hand out books
  • Clean the board
  • Allow them to work standing up for a few minutes
  • Allow the children to change positions to work – lying on the floor, leaning up against the wall, sitting on a therapy ball
  • Allow for fidget tools to be used during quiet time (See our blog on Fidgets)
  • Allow them to run errands
  • Have more than one break in the school day
  • Allow children to push with their feet against a bungee cord or theraband tied to the legs of the chair
  • Move to music – there are so many action songs that one can use to do this.

Dr. John J. Ratey, in a TED Talk said that “physical exercise turns our brain on. It optimizes the brain’s ability to learn and it regulates our emotions. Exercise is like taking a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin”

Movement is the language of the brain and it is time that we get our children out of their seats and moving. 

Annabella Sequeira holds a BSc (Occupational Therapy) degree from the University of Cape Town, backed by 22 years of experience in both the public and private sectors.  She has extensive practical experience in the area of Sensory Integrative Dysfunction in children and is passionate about empowering others to improve functionality and quality of life.

 

Fidget spinners – annoying toys or tools for concentration?

Fidget spinners are everywhere! And every child that doesn’t have one wants one. They are just the coolest thing to have right now. As adults, teachers and parents just don’t get it and find them a nuisance as well as distracting. Yet they are no different to past fads such as Yo-yo’s, Silly Bandz and Slime. Fidget spinners actually have a purpose to them, they help children and adults cope with stress, anxiety and sensory processing disorders.
Fidgets have been around for many years, but they have never been as popular as now. As has been the case in the past, the novelty of having these fidgets will wear off, and only the children who really need the fidget will keep it on hand in the future.

What is a fidget?
A fidget is a small object that keeps one’s hands busy, while reading, listening or working. They equate to twirling one’s hair around your finger, biting on pencils, rocking chairs, tapping pencils, getting up every 5 minutes to drink water and tapping one’s foot on the floor while trying to attend to a task at hand. In all these examples there is a need to move in order to focus while doing a task.

Fidgets provide us with that subtle movement and touch input that helps to calm the nervous system. Movement is the most powerful tool that we have to stay focused and attentive on a task at hand, and fidgets provide us with an outlet for small, inconspicuous movements while one is working. Directed and purposeful movement is known to enhance learning as both sides of the brain are called into action.

Why the need to fidget?
Children are expected to sit for longer during their school day, and they are expected to maintain an upright sitting posture against the force of gravity. Fidgeting is a strong sign that our children are not getting enough movement opportunities in the day. When a child fidgets, the teacher naturally tells the child to stop, which then leads to the child being distracted and unable to do what is expected of him. The child is not getting enough sensory input to stay alert.

Add constant sensory input, which leads to sensory overload and the child who is easily overwhelmed, fidgets as he/she is getting his body ready to fight the sensory overload.

Fidgets form part of our Sensory Intelligence® Toolbox, they add meaningful sensory input for attention and for calming the nervous system. Understanding and managing their use is vital in order for them to have the desired impact in the classroom or at home while studying.

Set up clear rules for fidgets at school and at home.
1. Fidgets (spinners, cubes, clips, stress balls, etc.) are tools, not toys! Be mindful of when a child really needs it, work out when it is most beneficial and only use it will help the child regulate and focus.
2. Don’t use it if the fidget distracts others, or if it interferes with other children’s ability to do their work – find another fidget or strategy.
3. When you are done with the fidget, put it away where it belongs. Only take it out again when it is needed.
4. You should not need to look at your fidget when you are working – if you are looking at it, you are not paying attention.
5. It must stay in your hand or on your desk – it is not to be thrown around, dropped or bounced.

In order for children to learn, they need to be able to focus and, in order for them to be able to focus and attend to the task at hand, they need to move! Fidget spinners and other tools allow for this in a quiet and less conspicuous way. Once the “fad” is over, we will see fewer spinners in the classrooms and only the children who need them will keep them handy.

Annabella Sequeira holds a BSc (Occupational Therapy) degree from the University of Cape Town, backed by 22 years of experience in both the public and the private sectors. She has extensive practical experience in the area of Sensory Integrative Dysfunction in children and is passionate about empowering others to improve functionality and quality of life.

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