DD6 not interested in read-alouds

I agree. If fidgeting is done with purpose, I think it is fine. I have one who HAS to be doing something–many sensory issues involved–but he is my best narrator too. He can tell me back more details than any of our other children, and he is by far the most fidgety.

He does well with a ball of putty or we have a few squeeze balls that keep him focused. That is it really–DOING something with his hands helps him to focus.

My DS was very much the same at 6.  At 7, I noticed a huge difference in his listening and discussion abilities.  He’s now almost 8 and looks forward to all our daily readings.  Keep up the good books! 

I had a discussion on this very topic with an experienced educator recently.  My son is 5.5 and also special needs.  I also give him a fidget toy when reading to him.  However, here is what this lady shared with me.  I don’t remember everything she said (wish I had been able to take notes), but what I do remember has been extremely helpful.  Basically this: listening to read-alouds without the support of pictures, or storytelling, is a key skill for overall intellectual development.  So, we start as short or as basic as needed in order to bring in and focus the child’s attention.  One tool you can use is very, very short stories, told ad lib with hand motions or large physical movement.  The educator suggested familiarizing your child with the motions FIRST without the story, and then bringing them into the story when you tell it.  The familiar physical motions give your child a focal point for attention, and also help them remember the narrative later.

One thing I did, for instance, was tell DS the story of “The Fox and the Grapes” outside.  No pictures, no visuals; but we walked along (like the fox); then, when the fox was jumping for the grapes, I “jumped” DS in my arms under the trees in the backyard; then, in the end, we stomped off angrily together for the “sour grapes” part. We did this a couple of times, and he loved it and could retell the story perfectly.

We’ve done similar things with Three  Little Pigs, Three Billy Goats Gruff, etc.  At this developmental level it is wise to use stories with lots of repetition or numerical sequences, like these stories, because, again, it gives the child something to latch onto, and perhaps even participate in. 

So…repetition, numerical sequences, physical movement, hand motions…really, use anything you can to wean her from pictures.  It is a gradual process, but it works! My son couldn’t sit for a minute of a read aloud or told story six months ago.  He is doing MUCH better now.

HTH!

I don’t  have experience with working with more than one child, since my DS is my older child, but I would think yes, you would need to handle them separately during this time that she is being “weaned” into them.  My suggestion would be to have her own (very short!) special read-aloud times throughout the day, following these principles, and then give her coloring and/or fidgets during her brother’s times.

I don’t have any good suggestions on the listening-level-appropriate Bible stories.  I have been pretty discouraged with what I’ve found; everything seems either 1) too long and complex for his listening level, or 2) too simple and a bit irreverent.   I would be interested to hear if anyone else has any good suggestions here.