B a r b a r a s h e r I l L u s t r a t I o n s b y r a L p h

V
A R I A T I O N S
There are other small items that can be used as fidget tools
that won’t be distracting. A balloon filled with cornstarch can
have a calming effect when squeezed. Keep an eye out for
other possibilities, such as interlocking rings and plastic frogs
with stretchy limbs.
W
H A T
’
S
B
E I N G
L
E A R N E D
In order to pay attention, some children need to deal first with
the anxiousness that is the natural by-product of stress. Fidget
items respect the child’s need to release excess energy and give
him a subtle and satisfying way to do it. He is learning to iden-
tify and deal with that anxious energy that will probably come
up many times in his life. Knowing what works for him will
help him find other ways that are effective too.
And, who knows, if he chooses clay, he may be launching
a focused sculpting career!
Guess How Old
Children seem to hit an age when they are suddenly curious about other
people’s ages, but they don’t yet know what clues to notice. I had this expe-
rience as a seven-year-old when my piano teacher, on her birthday, wanted
me to guess her age. I figured I was seven and she was older, so I said inno-
cently, “Seventy?” Much to my surprise, she huffed up and walked out the
door. (What did I say?)
Games for 6- to 12-Year-Olds
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Much, much later, I was talking to a seven-year-old who wanted to
know my age. She began to guess my age: “Twenty?” (no); “Fifty?” (no);
“Thirty?” (no). “I’m sixty,” I said. “Oh,” she said, “My grandma is sixty,
and I thought you were older.” Right before I started to feel like an obvious
wrinkled-up mess, I asked her how she knew I was older. “Because you are
taller,” she replied.
In this game, you’ll help your child pay attention to clues that indi-
cate age.