ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Often, parents pay attention to the word “developmental,” and hope that they can train their child out of ADHD and give them the tools they need to develop neurotypically.
While this idea may come with good intentions, ADHD – despite being a neurodevelopmental condition – is not something you can typically help your child develop. You can give them skills that they can use to thrive, and you can avoid situations that may contribute to it, like excessive screen time, but the condition will or will not develop mostly on its own.
That said, if you notice a child appears to have early signs of ADHD, and you’d like to make sure that you are giving your child a better chance to succeed, you may find that there are certain activities that can help your child learn skills to address and manage their ADHD, especially when it comes to after school activities.
After School Activities That Can Be Helpful for ADHD
Any and all structured after school activities have the potential to be beneficial for children showing signs of ADHD, because children with ADHD can have a broad range of interests, needs, and activities that would benefit them. For example, a child that is struggling academically may benefit from after school activities around academics, while one that needs an outlet for their energy may find sports to be more suitable to them.
There is not necessarily any wrong activity, provided it provides the right structure and support. However, there are a few activities that people find quite positive for ADHD. These include, but are in no way limited to:
- Martial Arts – Many martial arts, such as Tae Kwon Do, may provide benefits to children with ADHD. These programs are specifically designed not only around physical fitness, but also respect, focus, and self-control. Children with ADHD also tend to enjoy the movement and physical activity as well, and may gain self-confidence which can be lacking for some children with ADHD.
- Dance and Art – Many children with ADHD need an outlet for their creative energies, and benefit from one that requires a lot of focus and memorization. That’s where artistic endeavors like dance, painting, and even music can come in. These require extensive focus but also serve as a very effective emotional release.
- Rock Climbing/Yoga – Children with ADHD have periods of hyperactivity that need an outlet. Rock climbing can be perfect for ADHD, as it provides new routes and activities while simultaneously exhausting muscles. Similarly, certain types of yoga also exhaust the body, but do so in a calmer way and teaches patience and mindfulness.
Of course, most after school programs that use the mind and body can be very useful for ADHD. Boy scouts, STEM classes, team sports – all of these can be an outlet for energy, a great way to teach teamwork and focus, and build self-esteem.
There is not necessarily a bad after school activity for a child with ADHD, provided it has structure and they understand how to work with your child. But there are some programs that might be especially beneficial. For more help understanding ADHD, please contact Right Path Counseling, today.
