Iowa 4-H Clover Kid's Connection

Did I get your attention?

Anyone who has worked with a group that had a child with ADHD in it knows what I'm talking about when I say "surviving" ADHD. It can be a very challenging experience and sometimes you just hope you can survive! Of course we in 4-H want to do more than just survive - we want to help children thrive! Here are a few ideas to help that happen:

I have a few ideas and a few resources to share:
1. Give the child something to do with their hands. I've had great success with a balloon filled with rice or sand. Just use a funnel to fill it and tie it shut. When a child has to sit and listen for an extended period of time, give them the balloon - making sure they know they can keep it as long as they just hold it. Don't be surprised if the rest of the group wants one - in that case - I just tell them they can make one later. (And make sure they get that opportunity.)

2. Keep directions short and simple. Get them DOING right away. I use picture directions whenever possible and I also plan long activities in short steps with stations set up for each section of the activity.

3. Don't add to the energy in the room. Plan quiet activities in between games, use a quiet voice, etc.

4. Keep communication open with the child's family. They will have strategies they use at home and that are used at school to share with you!

5. Remember to use good discipline and group management techniques - choices!

Check out the advice on this site:

http://www.adhd-made-simple.com/ADHD_Children.html

What strategies have you used?

Posted by Joan at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Children's Day is a great opportunity to advertise the wonderful merits of the Clover Kids program. Here are a few quick ideas you can do during the fair to create interest/spread the word.

1. Using the motors from Funtivities, do spin art. Just index cards into about 2 inch squares. Poke a pin through the center. Gently, poke the point of the motor through the hole. Attach the alligator clips and use markers to decorate the square while it is spinning! Glue that to a piece of construction paper - add a label that says "Clover Kids Electrifyling Art, ___County Fair (with a clover of course!). Attach a small magnet piece in the back and you have a great refrigerator magnet as a constant reminder about the program!

2. Set up stations using your county council as leaders - let the children experience a different CK theme at each station - one might be string painting, one might be taking apart fabric or weaving felt placemats, etc. Let children come and experience sample activities while the leaders talk about Clover Kids.

3. Have people handing out Clover Kids fliers during the different shows - the kiddie tractor pull - etc. Use those activities to your advantage - have a booth right there!

What activities do you do in your county?

Posted by Joan at 09:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out this website! It has 60 second science activities you can either add to enrich your program or use as the main piece of a meeting and build around other activities to support it!

Let me know what you think!
http://60secondscience.org/activities/index.html

Posted by Joan at 08:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This website has great force and motion experiments for K-3 grades. I know it is a kindergarten website, but the activities would work for older grades as well with a little adaptation. They change different variables to see how they affect the movement of cars. Check it out!

http://www.littlegiraffes.com/forceandmotion.html

Posted by Joan at 07:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I saw a cute idea at school yesterday. A first grade teacher had the children grow grass in a shallow plastic dish - the kind a planted pot sits in. They scooped the dirt, sprinkled the seeds, and then sprayed it with a bottle filled with water. Then, they blew out an egg and dyed it. After the grass grows, the egg sits on the grass and it makes a cute center piece for spring!

If you don't want to wait for the grass to grow, you can cover the dish with clear plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band to send it home!

Posted by Joan at 07:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)