Whoa! Your child slides down the sofa, thumps onto the floor and starts rolling around. But you\u2019re\u00a0 exasperated and mentally exhausted trying to keep up with them. Even though the day brimmed full with activities, your youngster with High Learning Potential (HLP) still craves much more to do.<\/p>\n
Many HLP children share this trait called overexcitability. They tire less quickly than other children \u00a0\u00a0although you\u2019ll have noticed that exhaustion eventually has to come when their inner fireworks fizzle out. Don\u2019t worry, there are ways to channel their excitability so that you can both handle it.<\/p>\n
Which Type of Overexcitability?<\/strong><\/p>\n Any of these descriptions might fit your child:<\/p>\n Movement to Soothe the Mind\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Providing movement-based activities can liberate your high-energy child. Going with the need to move will definitely help your child feel calmer. If you have time, consider making a garden sensory trail, which suits all the overexcitability types.<\/p>\n Make an area of your garden tranquil and comforting, and another area stimulation-focussed. Ask your child to help with the planting, signwriting and choice of flowers where appropriate.<\/p>\n For the tranquil area you could use colourful signposting for different plants, try contrasting grasses and herbs, a log to sit on and if you have a sturdy tree, tie on a hammock\u00a0 to encourage restfulness.<\/p>\n For the stimulation area you could create a texture caf\u00e9. Your child could use mud, leaves or coloured beads, shells and cooked spaghetti with old pans and pots for sensory cooking play.<\/p>\n Or add a tub of warm water (for stomping in or playing with), hay to walk on, cheap cushions, fairy lights, a trampoline or even a deckchair.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s bad weather, prompt your child to let off steam indoors \u2013 dancing, a mini indoor trampoline or even a simple keep fit routine can help.<\/p>\n Plan for the Occasion<\/strong><\/p>\n Eating:<\/strong> Before a sit-down meal,\u00a0 get your child channelling their liveliness \u2013 suggest jogging on the spot or star jumps to release pent-up energy. During the meal, encourage chat, and if your child has to fidget by moving table objects, offer puzzles instead.<\/p>\n Long journeys:<\/strong> \u00a0Give your child stationery to draw or write with, use audiobooks or install a film on a seatback player \u2013 allotting time per activity. Make the journey as relaxing as you can \u2013 plan in some stops so they can run about.<\/p>\n Let them choose an imagination game or play You Choose<\/em>: Propose choices, for example \u201cIf you had to choose between being able to fly or having amazing strength, which would you pick?\u201d \u00a0or Three Minute Mania<\/em>: Choose any topic and talk about it for three minutes!<\/p>\n Got a child who can\u2019t resist making musical sounds? If they like to hum then you could consider letting them be \u00a0a \u201cmini beatbox\u201d or provide music to listen to \u2013 give them headphones if it helps (also suits children who are over-sensitive to other noises e.g. motorbikes).<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Work with their Learning Style<\/strong><\/p>\n For young HLP children, the transition to school where many hours are spent sitting can be frustrating. If they bring home their learning projects, see if you can be flexible about where the homework is done. If they can\u2019t wait to read, they might not even bother with the light switch in their eagerness to get started, so make sure that the place is well-lit. If they fidget, how about a wobble cushion or for busy hands, a squishy?<\/p>\n Overexcitable HLP children can be intense but at the same time they have that extra dimension that gives them a great ability to feel, discover and creatively appreciate their world.<\/p>\n To learn more about overexcitability visit our blog \u00a0\u00a0Working around Sensory Sensitivities<\/a>\u00a0 or download our factsheet (free to members) at https:\/\/potentialplusuk.org\/index.php\/product\/pa610-hypersensitivity-dabrowskis-overexcitabilities\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Whoa! Your child slides down the sofa, thumps onto the floor and starts rolling around. But you\u2019re\u00a0 exasperated and mentally exhausted trying to keep up with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001684,"featured_media":10417,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[196,525],"tags":[307],"class_list":["post-10414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-focus","category-wellbeing","tag-overexcitability"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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