Ants In Their Pants

P/B • 215mm x 280mm • 224 Pages
ISBN 9781933653877

Teaching Children Who Must Move to Learn

From sunup to sundown, extra busy children have an endless supply of energy and remain on the move throughout the day. Ants in Their Pants offers successful and tested techniques to help caregivers, educators, and parents provide the best support to active learners so they can thrive in the classroom and at home.

These ideas, from a teacher of both special and general education who is a parent of an extra busy child, provide information on how to:
help extra busy children use their energy to learn
help teachers understand the kinaesthetic nature of extra busy children
create the best environment for learning and playing
incorporate sensory integration activities
redirect excess energy in a positive direction.

Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Why I wrote this book
How to get the most out of this book
What ants in their pants means
What all children need, especially extra busy kinaesthetic children
Ten common characteristics of extra busy kinaesthetic children
The most powerful teaching tool for extra busy children

What Makes Extra Busy Kinaesthetic Children Tick?
Understanding the kinaesthetic nature of extra busy children
Kinaesthetic experiences to T.H.I.N.K. about
Questionnaire for finding an extra busy kinaesthetic childs formula for ticking
Connecting with extra busy children
Calming extra busy bees
Ways to calm extra busy children

An Extra Busy Child’s Best Environment
Developmentally appropriate practice
The power of a predictable schedule
Classroom tools and techniques
Extra tool tidbits
In closing

Working with Extra Busy Children
The power of sign language
Transitioning ideas
Redirecting extra energy
Logging busy behaviour
In closing

Ready, Set, Play
Constructive play
Limited space play
Outdoor play
Physical play
Water play (and consumption)
Books
Boxes for play
In closing

Sensory Integration and Extra Busy
Kinaesthetic Children
Sixty-seven sensory play and art activities
Goopy, gooey busyness
Music and movement
In closing

The Basics of Sleeping and Eating for Extra Busy Kinaesthetic Children
The importance of proper food and sleep
Simple staple foods
Sleep matters
Bedtime routines
In closing

Lets Wrap Up
An obvious increase in busyness
A few final thoughts
And one more thing

Appendix A
Helping parents of extra busy children
Helping teachers of extra busy children

Appendix B
Calendar
Logging page
Portfolio report
Bedtime check-off card