Does your child fail to remain seated or remain attentive during a drawing or do-it-yourself activity? Maintaining the sitting position for a certain period of time is achieved through postural control and stabilizing muscles of the back. If your child has a weakness with these muscles, it will be difficult to sit for several minutes.

What are the impacts?

  • Little interest in doing activities that require sitting: drawing, homework, etc .;
  • Moves on his chair, changes position, works upright;
  • Exhibits tiredness during the day which is reflected in difficulty following directions or being agitated.
  • The importance of the sensory system

The sensory system can have a great impact on a child’s attention skills and the need to move. Indeed, vision, hearing as well as tactile and proprioceptive information are the basis skills to maintain attention.

A child who moves, who puts objects in his mouth or who has the need to constantly have something in his hands is probably looking for the sensations necessary to keep him attentive.

Margo has some solutions for you!

  • Adopt alternate positions: make a drawing lying on the ground or standing up, sheet on the wall or on a chair. These positions will help the child develop better postural control and bring novelty (and interest) to an activity;
  • Ensure that the workstation is suitable for the child;
  • Put an elastic on the chair: installing an elastic band on the front legs of the chair will allow the child to move his feet. The child seeking sensations can find stimulation that will keep him attentive;
  • Provide the child with a Tangle-type object that he can manipulate to meet his sensory needs and increase his level of attention.

Finally, if the child who stands or moves on his chair accomplishes the demands of the task, why not let him?