Students may need additional support or strategies to stay seated so they can learn. Here are a few to try:
Try using an inflatable seat cushion on his/her chair (or deflated beach ball).
Check for proper child-seat-desk ratio. Hips, knees, and ankles should be at a 90-degree angle.
Ask the child to sit up straight and give periodic firm pressure on the child's shoulders.
Provide movement breaks throughout the day by giving the student "jobs" which allow him/her to get up and move through the classroom. Allow the student to stand while working.
Try using a variety of fidget toys such as squeegee balls, pencil toppers, erasers, koosh balls, silly putty, etc.
Try spacing the child so that he/she is not sitting near enough to touch another child.
Try using markers (e.g. carpet squares, tape on rug, flat cushions, etc.) to designate personal space when sitting on the floor.
Help the child identify steps needed to begin and accomplish a task If possible write down or even draw the steps.
Give short assignments so the child can feel instant success.
Try giving one direction at a time.
If necessary, try helping the child physically through the action.
Use weighted vest or pressure vest.
Warm up activities can help students get their wiggles out and prepare them for classwork.
Utilize warm-up activities before difficult assignments (this whole list is not meant to be used in one session, pick a few exercises to use before each assignment.)
1. Wall or chair push-ups.
2. Isometric exercises like pushing/pulling his/her own hands.
3. Shake all body parts in a sequence (ex., hands, arms, shoulders, etc.)
4. Stretch (ex. neck, shoulders, arms, hands, etc.)
5. Stand up or sit in chair and stamp feet vigorously
6. Squeeze a ball
7. Students place hands palm down on the desk. Ask students to raise fingers one at a time from the desk surface.
8. Students place both hands on their desks. Ask stµdents to spread fingers apart and then slide them back together.
9. Students place hands palm down, then palm up, in simultaneous and rapid motion.
10.Students make circles by touching thumbs to finger tips one at a time.
11.Students open hands as wide as possible and then make a fist repeatedly.
12.Students bend wrists up and down repeatedly.
13.Students stand and put palms flat on desk, then bear their body weight on their palms for a count of five.
14.Students pretend to hold a pencil and write previously learned letters on the surface of their desks.