Keeping child's attention during reading

[psreit]

I just mentioned this on another thread and decided to open a new one on the subject. I know I've read where children are given coloring to do when being read to. My dd definitely needs something to do with her hands when I'm reading, especially when there are not pictures in the book we are reading. I tried the coloring, but she becomes focused on that and then misses what I read. I was just wondering what others do in a situation like that, other than coloring. I think dd has already held her baby doll while reading. That seems to work okay. I thought about a squishy ball, too. I was just looking for other ideas. Dd is very easily distracted. Maybe there is something in the archives about this topic. Couldn't find it, though.

[MamaPajama]

Anxiously awaiting answers too. I have the same problem with DS. The only other thing that comes to my mind is Play-Doh. I would have him play with Legos, but he would be far too engrossed in his creation.

[inHistiming]

Play-doh or silly putty
build with legos or other building toys quietly
draw on plain paper

Just a few things we've tried that have been some help. There is one rule: they have to be able to answer the questions or narrate back, etc. afterwards or we will not be able to do other things while reading. HTH

Another suggestion (after reading what you mentioned on the other post) is to shorten the readings....meaning, read a smaller amount and have her narrate or answer questions, etc. just about that part before reading the rest of the selection for that day. It may help her to be able to focus if she doesn't have to remember quite as much.

[creativemommy]

You could also fill a latex balloon with popcorn kernels, rice, beans, flour or cornmeal (or any mixture of these) to have your dc squish & hold while you're reading. I used a funnel to fill a few balloons last year for my kids. They really enjoyed holding & squishing them while I read. My ds even held his while he read aloud.

[MamaPajama]

You could also fill a latex balloon with popcorn kernels, rice, beans, flour or cornmeal (or any mixture of these) to have your dc squish & hold while you're reading. I used a funnel to fill a few balloons last year for my kids. They really enjoyed holding & squishing them while I read. My ds even held his while he read aloud.

I love this idea!

[kvmck]

I love the balloon idea too...

One thing I have allowed my 8yo daughter to do is to stand up and "pace"-- she is always within about 5 feet of me. She doesn't always need to do this but once or twice a week she will just stand up and walk around. Her comprehension actually seems to be better (I'll just randomly stop and have her narrate). If she does something with her hands she becomes too engrossed in her project--- walking doesn't take any concentration for her but allows for excess energy (or something ) to be let off.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

We have a reading corner with lot's cushions and a soft rug. My 3 children like to just lay around and play with these squishy balls that I got each one of them. Made a HUGE difference.

[Sharon]

I bought "Thinking Putty" for my wiggler to hold. I purchased it from Home Science Tools and it comes in various colors. We have had it for over 2 years and dd now plays with it on a regular basis in her room, as we don't use it for school anymore.

We have conquered reading and narration and are now trying to work on math! I let her use an exercise ball sometimes to bounce on as she says her facts, or clap, or jumping jacks, or hopscotch...whatever movement we can put with it. Funny, I wanted her to be still to read and now I want her to move for math....go figure!

I see someone has mentioned shortening the reading and that is just what I did. You should see our Pioneers and Patriots book it is so marked up. What a mess! Dd couldn't even tell me what one sentence was about. So, we would go to my bedroom and pile in the bed and I had her right next to me so she could read along with me and I would underline, circle, or highlight the who, what, and where in the sentence. Then we would talk about that one sentence. Laugh, have a little fun. I remember when we read about the wax doll and she wanted to make one so I gave her some putty and she created the whole river scene! Gradually we moved on to larger passages and now she can narrate anything without a problem!!!!

It just took a lot of patience and practise, practise, and more practise!!!!

[psreit]

Thanks for all the ideas. I really need to find something for dd to do or hold when I'm reading. This morning did not go very well. She was distracted by everything it seemed. We got through the history and Bible, but several times I had to stop and get her attention and reread certain portions. She's on lunch break now. We have storytime to do yet. Hopefully after some exercise she will be ready to settle down and listen.

Sharon, I really like the putty display your dd made! My dd shows interest in different types of art, but that is another area she will need some training to really put thought into it and then create what is in those thoughts. Hopefully as she matures that will come. I have a challenge ahead of me.

[Carrie]

Pam,

I have to say that with my boys, allowing them to play with anything or have things in their hands while I'm reading distracts them. We go the more Charlotte-Mason route at our house in having the child develop a habit of attention when I'm reading, knowing their sole job is to focus on what I'm saying. The reason we choose this route to go is that it is lifelong training for any kind of class, sermon, school, or work setting where our children (and future adults) will be required to have the habit of attention.

On the other hand, if we are purely reading aloud for pleasure at our house, then we allow our kiddos to latchhook, color, or play Legos quietly, but anytime we read for school we require the habit of attention. We've always had our kiddos just cuddle up next to us and follow along with the readings. In keeping with CM, we also don't reread portions of the text either. If the narration or follow-up the child gave wasn't the best, then the next day we would stop and narrate after a shorter section instead. But the child needs to understand they will be required to retell from a single reading.

All of this to say that I wouldn't spend time coming up with something else for your child to do during the reading. The listening is the work,and if kiddos can listen when their hands are busy, they should be able to apply the same concentration when their hands aren't busy. Two of my three boys so far, are over-the-top hands-on bodily kinesthetic kiddos. Yet, they have gained the much needed habit of careful listening and sitting quietly when I'm reading. It is a needed lifelong habit worth pursuing.

Blessings,
Carrie

[psreit]

Carrie,
Thanks for this instruction. I will do my best. I had thought about it in this light and wondered how I would ever get dd to sit and pay attention without having something in her hand. Some days she actually makes it through the reading without, but usually she is fiddling with something just laying nearby. It is an adjustment not having many pictures.

As far as retelling, even if she heard everything and knows what is happening in the story, she has trouble retelling in order. Should I do shorter portions for now or just let her tell me what she can from the whole chapter and figure she will eventually get better at it? Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks for your help.

[Carrie]

Pam,

Honestly, CM would say stop after a few paragraphs and have her narrate a sentence or two, then read a couple paragraphs more and narrate a sentence or two and so on. I always weigh how much time I have with how much stopping I do though! My kiddos have improved as narrators in spite of me not stopping when I should! It is a process that takes time!

Blessings,
Carrie

[Mommamo]

I completely understand what Carrie's saying about learning to sit still and listen. That is a great habit to learn to develop, that being said.... I don't consider myself a kinesthetic learner or anything, but I know *I* retain so much more if my hands are doing something. When I listen to audio books, sermons (our preacher podcasts his sermons), or whatever while I'm cleaning or knitting or cooking, I retain infinitely more than if I just listen. I've often told dh that I wish I could take my knitting to church so that I could absorb more without having to listen to the podcasts later. And I was brought up in ps where I had to just sit still and listen. And I can do it, of course, but I do often tend to doodle. Again, I know I just learn better that way.

Also, with our dd's ADHD and sensory issues, our OT suggested we give her something to do with her hands. (I do have to say though that I'm not as understanding of her needing to do something with her hands while I read as I should be, since I'm the excact same way. And she does sit still and listen very well) But I think that can be part of the training of learning to sit still and listen. Eventually maybe you can wean them off of it. But I just wonder what *I* missed by not being able to doodle, knit, whatnot, while I was in school.

I hope that doesn't sound like arguing, Carrie, because you have a completely valid point. And I love all of Charlotte Mason's ideas of what we do now teaching habits for adulthood. But I just thought I would throw that in there just for discussion sake. I do like the idea of reading a bit and then narrating. I think that sometimes it just takes experimenting to find what works the best for our dc. I definitely wouldn't want to go out of my way to figure out something for my child to do while I read, by any means.

[tnahid]

My boys have been really liking to use "Thinking Putty" when I read. It gives them something to do with their hands. I even like to squeeze it while I am reading. I got it from Timberdoodle.com Hope that helps!