Anyone with a wiggly child knows that expecting him to sit still while you read aloud is something of a lost cause. It boggles my mind that my son—the one who is now engaging a set of army guys in battle, now standing on his head in the corner, now drawing a picture, now wrestling a little brother, now getting a drink of water—will remember what we’ve read aloud better than just about anyone else in the room. Studies show that for many children, actively engaging in something with their hands helps them listen better. For many kids, the propensity to move while engaging in focused brainwork is
...more
