Activities for the hyperactive child

Children jumping rope
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also known colloquially as fidget spinner syndrome, refers to people who cannot concentrate on the same thing for long periods of time or who are hyperactive throughout the day.
As a parent of a child with ADHD, you know how important it is to keep your child occupied throughout the day.

Firstly, it is important to understand how fidget spinner syndrome affects your child. Only then can you try to find the right activity.
Is your child interested in sport? Does he or she like team games or does the competition not appeal to him or her? Does your child talk to you about their feelings?

Understand that your child is not sick, but simply wants to be challenged. If you find something that arouses your child's interest, they will automatically engage with it.

For a child affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, physical activity is of course always beneficial. Exercise uses up some of the excess energy and stimulates the brain.
Team activities promote social behaviour and discipline. However, if your child is not interested in team sports, find another field, such as dancing, cycling, swimming or gymnastics. Martial arts teaches the child not only self-defence, but also self-control and patience.

If your child shows an aversion to sports activities, look for other options. Drama classes are a good form of creative exercise. It also gives the child the opportunity to practise their social behaviour.

Music, art and dance engage the child physically and mentally.

Other possibilities are scout groups and other community associations that organise green area clean-ups or events, for example.

Whatever activities you choose for your child, observe their development. If the child still doesn't seem to be fully occupied or quickly bored, try something else.

Basically, any activity that promotes your child's self-confidence is good.

There are some activities that are detrimental to a child with ADHD. Television is an absolute taboo. With computer games, it depends on what the game is about or how interested your child is in computer games. It would be wrong to force a child to play football if their passion is video games. Nowadays there are video games that are mentally and even physically demanding. With a Nintendo Wii console, for example, your child can be physically active in front of the screen. If your child enjoys video games, make sure they play them with friends on a network or with several controllers so that social development is not neglected. Games such as Rock Band and Guitarhero, where the player plays a special guitar to music on a virtual stage, are excellent stimulation for active children. Studies show that about 20% of Rock Band or Guitar Hero players become interested in learning an instrument by playing on the screen.
Under no circumstances should you choose games where your child just sits around and waits for their turn.

Regardless of which activity you choose, the most important factors are as follows: