fidget toys

[kel1983]

We have a nearly 3 year old who is very lively and has a very short attention span. She is very clever in some ways but just will not sit still long enough to complete a task or even listen to a story. It was recommended we introduce a fidget toy. Has anyone had experience using these? How do I introduce it to the child? and any recommendations on which toy to get as I have seen a few.

Thanks

[JCrakers]

I bought my dd a fidget toy but she was in year 5, aged 9. It was to give her hands something to do and listen to the teacher. She doesn't have any concentration problems but she said her hands liked to fidget. The one I bought her was from amazon but it wasn't suitable for a 3yr old.

Hope someone has some advice. Personally I feel a lot of 3yr olds, especially boys find it hard to sit.

[Helen79]

there's lots on this site (http://www.sensorytoywarehouse.com/category/fidgets/). If you google sensory toys it comes up with lots of good sites. I'm not sure how you'd use one with a 3 year old, I'd maybe only use it at story time and the rest of the time she's playing plan activities that follow her interests rather than sit down activities that she doesn't have the concentration for. At this age I wouldn't push for her to be sitting doing at activity if that's not the way she learns through playing. So instead of craft activities that are done at the table, maybe do water painting outside or drawing on a big sheet of wallpaper in the floor so she's still developing skills and learning but can move around at the same time.

It can be frustrating when you've set up an activity then they just spend 2 mins looking at it before moving on to something else.

[kel1983]

Thanks. Its a little girl and its not the usual lack of attention you get with toddlers. Its really hard to explain. She is happy to do activities we set up, loves crafts and messy play and is great at making puzzles which are designed for older age group. She doesn't sit and play with anything for longer than a couple of minutes. She floats from toy to toy (except marble run which she loves).

We attend toddler time at the library every Wednesday and she just cant still. She stands up randomly as if she doesn't even notice she is doing it and bounces about on her bottom. She is able to concentrate when we sing but when the story is being ready her mind and body wonders.

She has fiddle fingers as she has to touch everything in sight (I know some toddlers do this but its different with her). She is a bright child she is advance in pretty much every area. She has no sense of fear.

She runs everywhere (again toddlers are known for this) but she is always rushing here and there. Its tiring on us and her parents. She gets very hyper when she is tired (even more than usual) which we find a struggle to get her to calm and sleep and her parents cant get her to go to bed at night.

So what I'm hoping is a fidget toy will keep her fingers and mind occupied so she can sit and not distract the group at the library at least. We are already keeping her occupied at home with crafts, activities etc.