While sports certainly provide a productive outlet for the excess energy housed within the tiny body of a child who struggles from ADHD, many children who have this disorder struggle to operate within the constraints of sports. To ensure that your ADHD child’s sporting experience proves productive, carefully select the proper sport for him, and support him as he moves through the learning and playing process.
For children with ADHD, moving gracefully through the water can be a great way to burn off excess energy. As “ADDitute Magazine” reports, ADHD children often do better in solo sports than group ventures, making singles swimming an ideal choice. Additionally, because the water offers natural resistance, participation in this sport takes more energy than it would appear, potentially leaving ADHD suffering participants less hyped post-swim meet.
While team sports are not always the best idea for children who suffer from ADHD, baseball is an exception to this rule, as the sport can easily be modified to accommodate an ADHD-suffering participant. If your child struggles with controlling his ADHD, speak to his coach and ask that he be put in a position where he is free to move, such as the outfield. Also, request that his position be changed up regularly to ensure that your child does not tire of one playing area.
Many ADHD children find martial arts to not only quench their thirst for sports, but also to teach them some of the control skills they require for success in life, reports “ADDitude Magazine.” Through martial arts training, children learn to control themselves and master their bodies. As ADHD children struggle with control, training in this sport can be helpful in reducing the impact of the disorder.
The bursts of energy that make it difficult for your child to succeed within the classroom may be just what he needs for a successful track stint. Track not only allows, but encourages, constant motion and speed, so your ADHD child will likely fit right in. Additionally, because track is predominantly a solo sport, your child will not have to feel the pressure of teammates depending upon him.
Just as with martial arts, the control that your child will learn when training to skate will likely translate into the classroom. Success in solo figure skating requires power and stamina, two things that your ADHD child likely has in great abundance. Selecting this sport for your child is particularly wise if she loves grace and elegance, and aspires to become a dancer or engage in a similar form of physical artistry.