School Tools (fidgets)

School Tools (Fidgets)
for the Classroom

*Attached you will find guidelines for implementation and a rule book that can be adapted for your age group. 

Where and When?
Use school tools during meeting or group times, in a quiet area, or for specific lessons.
If the tool distracts the student or their neighbor, it needs to be put away then and
reintroduced.

Why?
School tools help children regulate their nervous system. They give proprioceptive feedback allowing children to settle and are alerting to help children listen and focus.

Who?
Tools can be for everyone! Even you! Invite your whole class to use a school tool. If you set up rules and the students view them as part of your classroom, you will discover how helpful they can be. Over time, these learning tools will eventually be used by those who really need them.

How?
Have a basket of tools in your meeting area. Introduce them with a lesson explaining why you will be using the tools and have the children create rules for using them. Rules could include that the tool must stay in the lap or that it must be used as a tool vs. toy. Also, decide on what will happen if a rule is broken. This way you set up exactly what is expected and can welcome everyone to use them.

Some Considerations
· Do you want them all to be the same to avoid arguments or different to invite variety?
· How durable are they? Can they be picked, pulled, or otherwise destroyed?
· Make sure they are quiet to avoid distraction.
· How will you store them?


http://www.therapro.com/Tools-for-the-Hands-C5977.aspx?p=0