7 Exercises for Kids with ADHD

Exercises for kids with ADHD serve to mitigate symptoms linked to hyperactivity and lack of concentration. Learn more.
7 Exercises for Kids with ADHD
Andrés Felipe Cardona Lenis

Reviewed and approved by degree in physical education and sports Andrés Felipe Cardona Lenis.

Last update: 27 December, 2022

Exercises for kids with ADHD stand out as an important alternative to mitigate the signs and symptoms of this pathology. Despite being such a sensitive topic, it’s possible for your children to be treated through these types of activities.

Generally, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is characterized by signs and symptoms related to inattention, impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and the inability to learn easily.

However, through exercises, you can modify the behavior of children who suffer from this problem.

Exercises for kids with ADHD

The main objective of exercises for kids with ADHD is focused on capturing attention and modifying the behaviors of this disorder. However, it’s important for many of these activities to be adapted to the physical and psychological capacities of each child.

Next, we’ll show you some activities that your children must carry out under your company or that of their teacher in charge. Beyond supervising them, the idea is to motivate them in favor of not abandoning the exercise that they’re carrying out.

1. Separating elements

The activity of separating elements can capture the attention of children with ADHD, especially if they’re objects with bright colors and shapes.

In order to plan this exercise, it’s important to know the tastes of each child. Keep in mind if they enjoy figures of animals, plants, cars, etc, and base this activity on their personal preferences.

It’s also a good idea to use bright colors and sizes that stand out. Once the objects are ready, the children must separate them from each other by categories, colors, or sizes.

2. Coloring certain spaces

Have you noticed how a child enjoys coloring any type of drawing? You’d be surprised how much fun kids have while coloring a picture, especially if it’s a favorite character or something similar.

This exercise not only promotes concentration but also stimulates skills such as spatial location and fine motor skills.

The only thing that the children have to do is to choose their favorite colors and paint the picture in their own way. If you want to increase the difficulty, you can assign the colors according to the area of the drawing or the segment of the character.

3. Moving their body in slow motion

One of the most complex and at the same time entertaining exercises for children with ADHD is slow-motion movement.

The complexity of moving in slow motion is due to the symptoms of ADHD, among which hyperactivity stands out. Therefore, it’s difficult for children to carry it out.

However, working with this type of exercise regularly and by body segments can help counteract the symptoms of the disorder. You must be patient and practice it on different occasions. In addition, it can be done individually or in a group.

4. Echoing

The ‘echo’ is a game in which several children must participate, at least more than 3, as a minimum.

One of the participants says any word and the rest of the children must repeat only the last syllables, as if they were emulating the sound of the echo produced by said word.

This exercise is responsible for stimulating attention, concentration. and teamwork, which is why it’s among the recommended exercises for kids with ADHD.

5. Observing details

Mindfulness exercises can also be done by children with ADHD. In this case, we advise you to take a walk focused on observing details.

It’s about implementing a journey along a path recognized by the child. Throughout the journey, the child must identify objects, which you’ll ask them about at the end.

This way, they’ll be able to keep active, and at the same time, they’ll have to stimulate their concentration and memory capacity.

6. Going on a safari

The safari exercise is very similar to the one discussed above. Although in this case, you don’t need to take a tour of a well-known path, but rather,  do it in a much more natural setting.

It can be anything from a park to an ecological trail located in the mountains. The idea is that there be different types of animals, which emit characteristic sounds that the children can recognize.

At the end of the tour, you’ll have to ask them some feedback questions about the sounds of the animals. They should not be complex, but concise; for example, how many birds they hear or what kind of animals inhabit this area.

7. Arranging objects

The exercises of arranging objects require a high degree of concentration and memory. In the following activity, children with ADHD must observe how a set of objects is arranged.

Then, you or the teacher must rearrange the objects in order for the child to put them back in their correct place. The child has a set amount of time both to observe the original arrangement and to put the objects back where they belong.

Are exercises for children with ADHD useful?

Probably not all of the exercises listed above are helpful for kids with ADHD, but some of them may catch your attention.

Your goal as a mother is to find out which of these activities benefit children the most and begin to implement them into a weekly routine. In addition, these types of exercises must also be adapted according to the psychomotor abilities of each child.

Last but not least, the orders or instructions of the exercises must be explained patiently and calmly. Try not to make them feel dazed or confused.


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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.