“Sit still! Hands to yourself! Will you please just chill out!” I hear it all the time, whether from the exhausted mom with the wiggling toddler in the airport, or the overwhelmed dad in the grocery line, or the frustrated parents in the subway car. Your little one is a bundle of energy, and unfortunately, due to a very long list of physical and cognitive developmental processes, they really can’t just shut that energy off. However, due to a lot of social and cultural factors, you also can’t just let them run wild. What’s a grown-up to do?
Rather than letting it make you crazy and your child miserable, I suggest the equivalent of early childhood aikido. Instead of trying to tamp down all that natural energy, find ways to redirect it. Below are a few of my favorite tried-and-true “pocket games” for those moments when you feel you’re at your wit’s end. These games won’t fill an entire afternoon, but they might help distract your little one and let them release some pent-up energy in a way that won’t raise the disapproving eyebrows of the other people in the room.
The Beach Ball: When I was babysitting regularly I ALWAYS had a small, inflatable beach ball in my purse. Why? Because they’re light, compact, cheap, and won’t hurt anyone if they go rogue. If you are in a large space where a child could find a place to run (like an airport with a yoga room or empty boarding gate), inflate that sucker and let the kids kick, roll, or throw it around. When it’s time to go, deflate the ball and put it back in your purse.
Shake and Freeze: If running around isn’t an option, but contained movements are appropriate (in a grocery line, for example), go ahead and do this isolation exercise. “Shake your hands, shake your hands, shake your hand…Freeze! Freeze, freeze, freeze…go faster! Shake your hands…” Repeat with “stomp your feet”, “shake your head”, “shrug your shoulders”, etc.
What’s in My Bag: Up to 60% of a child’s energy is used by the brain. So, if their bodies can’t move, engage their mind. This game is my go-to for car trips or subway rides. Look in your purse, backpack, or diaper bag, and give clues about an item inside. “I wear these. I use them when the sun is too bright. They sit on my nose…Yes! My sunglasses!”
It doesn’t have to be anything exciting – everyday items will have a Mary Poppins magic to them when they are hidden in your purse! Repeat this game with other items in your bag until you get to your destination. Slightly older children can reverse the process by looking in their backpacks and giving you clues about what they have inside.
Peek-a-boo: An oldie but a goody! I love this game because you pretty much always have something you can use to play it with. Your scarf, a tissue…your hands! And very young children never get tired of it. Object permanence is still developing, so they are legitimately surprised every time you reappear!
KEEP READING: Playing With Purpose: Turning Everyday Moments Into Life Lessons
Images: Unsplash
