5 Activities for Your ADHD Child
Build Success in Your Active Child by Using His Energy Positively
Nov 13, 2008
Design the daily life of your child with activities that work for ADHD children! According to one Hockey Coach: "High-energy kids with low-attention spans work best with fast-paced sports like football, basketball, or hockey." Games like football have less down-time than baseball, so an active, distractable child automatically keeps more engaged.
Try Individual Sports
If your child is not interested in team sports, try Martial Arts or Gymnastics. These kinds of sports are individualized and highly-structured, so that an ADHD child can achieve at his own pace. "Kids need structure, and children with attention deficit need even more" states Peter Jaksa, PhD, clinical director of ADD Centers of America. A goal-oriented program like Karate has incentives built-in for an active child to stay focused as he achieves measurable goals.
Include Activities that Develop Sensory-Motor Skills
The repetitive, sensory pressure like jumping on a trampoline or swinging on a swing can be calming to your active child. According to Science Daily, Temple University researchers, determined "...that sensory intervention -- for example, deep pressure and strenuous exercise -- can significantly improve problem behaviors such as restlessness, impulsivity and hyperactivity." They found that of 88 children with ADHD in the study, the 63 children who underwent sensory therapy had significant behavior improvement.
Involve Your Child in Playing Musical Instruments
Active children often enjoy participating in making music. Provide a variety of musical instruments around your home: drums, hand harps, harmonicas, and keyboards. "Playing, singing, and dancing to music increases both fine and gross motor skills and helps develop hand-eye coordination, these children are better able to control their bodies," advises Carla Snuggs in Preschool Music and Movement. Creating music can be a wonderful outlet for children of all ages.
Be Flexible and Open To What Your Child Is Interested In
Observe your child at play and be flexible to follow his lead in what he likes to do. Does he gravitate towards dancing or does he love rock climbing walls? Encourage him in whatever he is good at; this will build self-esteem and breed success. Explore ways for your active child to practice her interests by classes, clubs, and creative lists like Top 10 Outside Activities for Kids by Susan Carney.
A child with ADHD is speaking to you by his actions. If you are sensitive to that message, you can direct your child to activities which will help him use his energy wisely, developing his gifts and achieving success in life.
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