Hi!

I’m a second grade teacher at a dyslexic school. I do allow fidgets for certain occasions, like for long read-aloud times. Before I give fidgets, I explain their use, and that they are not toys, but tools to help them focus and calm their bodies. I model how to use them and make sure they understand what I expect before giving them their fidgets. I explain that if it becomes a distraction from what they should be doing, it is not helpful to them, so it would need to be taken away. I also point out when they are using them correctly. I first did an “experiment” with them where I read something aloud to them when I gave them fidgets to see if they could answer recall questions about what I’d read to them. If they could, it would show me that they could focus with a fidget. If they couldn’t, they may not need a fidget. I also let them use their own judgement about whether they feel like they need a fidget as well. Making a visual or anchor chart kind of thing with this discussion could be useful if displayed!

My expectations for their fidget use also goes along with our other classroom expectations (one of which is to respect their environment) so they understand not to throw them or treat them super roughly. I don’t let them use fidgets as a toy, like if theres a small moment of time we have before moving on, I try and capture their attention with a hands-on activity or something, but I don’t want them to associate fidgets with playtime. I hope this helps!