We have talked in the past about adjusting your child’s seating for better attention, especially during Zoom school. Adding a fidget toy can also help tremendously. I made fidget toys with my kids, and my 5-year-old has been using them during her Zoom sessions. I can see that she is able to concentrate better.

Fidgets of any kind are not only for kids who have blatant attention difficulties; they can be used by any child or adult to help improve attention, especially when they are sitting in front of a screen for long periods of time.

Here are some crafts you can make at home to help with your child’s concentration:

1. Take a balloon, fill it with water beads and knot the balloon. Your child will enjoy squishing and squeezing this textured stress ball.

2. Mix 2 cups of baking soda and 1/2 cup of conditioner together. Funnel the mixture into a balloon and knot the end. This makes a firmer, squeezable stress ball. You can also draw faces on the balloon for added fun.

3. Use one craft stick, one pipe cleaner, tape and beads to make a finger fidget. Tape the pipe cleaner along one side of the craft stick and fold the pipe cleaner over the other side of the stick. Thread beads onto the pipe cleaner and then secure the end of the pipe cleaner to the stick with tape. It is preferable to use duct tape to secure the pipe cleaner. Your child will enjoy sliding the beads up and down the pipe cleaner. It can also function as an abacus (as my 5-year-old pointed out).

Stay tuned for more tips from The Therapy Gym and check out our Facebook and Instagram page for full video instruction.

The Therapy Gym, owned by Dr. Elisheva Fuchs, is the leading pediatric therapy center in Bergen County. The Therapy Gym provides physical, occupational, speech, behavioral and aquatic therapy as well as many classes for kids. Only the best, highly skilled and trained therapists work at the gym to help each child reach his or her potential. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s development, call The Therapy Gym at 201-357-0417 or email [email protected]. You can also follow The Therapy Gym on Instagram and Facebook to learn more tips.