Creating Movement-Friendly Learning Spaces
Children with trauma (and even neurodivergent children) often cannot sit still. For children with trauma, it is because their brains are in a constant state of hypervigilance, looking for the first sign of danger. This keeping of their bodies on high alert to handle stress can be a challenge for teachers wanting to limit distractions in the classroom. However, if you understand that this movement is actually helpful for children with trauma, it can change your entire view on how to manage your classroom.
Why Movement is Regulating for Kids with Trauma
If you want to limit distractions, it shouldn’t be about trying to still a fidgety child. In fact, calling attention to this by asking a child to “sit still” can be more disruptive than helpful. It’s bringing attention to that movement and kids who may not have been focused on their classmate’s fidgeting now are focused on it.
Not to mention that asking a child to stop self-regulating can lead to bigger outbursts and distractions in the classroom down the road. This is because your request to “sit still” may be misinterpreted by the child as unfair confrontation or hostile.
So why is movement so crucial to self-regulation? Movement can help a child release and manage anxiety and tension, giving them the opportunity to instead focus on what is being taught in the classroom, rather than being disruptive. Traumatized children have an overactive nervous system and are constantly scanning their environment for threats. This leaves them physically exhausted and overwhelmed. Fidgeting, tapping, or pacing is a self-regulation technique they can use to calm their overwhelmed nervous system.
The bottom line: don’t take fidgeting as a sign of disrespect to the teacher, but rather a form of self-regulation that can actually help prevent more disruptive outbursts from happening.
How to Create a Movement and Regulation-Friendly Learning Environment
Kids like to move and it can be hard for anyone to sit for long periods of time learning information. Creating an inclusive space for children with trauma can also mean lifting all the children in your classroom up. Here’s some ideas to help you create a more movement-friendly learning space:
- Flexible Seating: allow for small movements while seated by providing different seating options, like yoga balls, wobble stools, standing desks, bean bag chairs, or even allowing kids to sit in the rocking chair in the corner.
- Create a Calm Corner: designate a safe, quiet space in your classroom that offers tools and comfortable seating for emotional regulation. This can include books, coloring materials, easy worksheets, fidget and sensory toys, plus soft cushions.
- Mood Lighting: harsh lighting can trigger trauma, hypervigilance, and even headaches; when bright lighting isn’t needed, use lamps or natural light from windows if possible to help create a calming mood or vibe that can help children relax enough to learn.
- Fidget Tools at the Desk: allowing kids to keep a fidget toy at their desk can help kids regulate without disturbing classmates; these can include stress balls, tactile tools, or even velcro strips under the desk.
- Integrating Movement: incorporating movement and brain breaks into your schedule or when you see a child becoming too restless can help kids have an opportunity to stretch or breathe deep and take a break; this tactic can be especially helpful during times of transition, such as stopping a lesson and getting ready for lunch time.
Key Takeaways
Kids who are moving or fidgeting in the classroom aren’t doing it to disrespect the authority of their teacher. They are doing it to emotionally regulate and calm their mind and nervous system due to hypervigilance caused by trauma. Helping children to self-regulate with fidget toys, calm lighting, a quiet corner, and flexible seating allows your children to soak in as much knowledge as possible with minimal disruptions. And incorporating brain breaks with breathing exercises or stretching can help give all of your students a chance to reset and get ready for the next activity of the school day.
