Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD for short, affects many children around the country. One of the main features of ADHD is hyperactivity is an overabundance of energy. This energy needs to find an outlet, outside the house or in a constructive manner, inside the house.
Tragically, present day kids are far less physically active and physically-fit than kids from only 20 years previously. It used to be normal for children to be outside playing tag, climbing trees, and biking around the neighborhood. It ends up today that most of our children exert their energy in a more sedentary way, with computer games or gaming consoles or other screens and technology rather than being physically active.
Psychologists and mental health professionals have noted these changes in our children and have expressed significant concern. Harvard University has said that outside free play helps to redirect energy in more constructive ways and counselors agree that being energetic outside, helps children be less hyperactive inside.
When you notice that your child is being excessively energetic and you want to help your child constructively redirect his or her energy, consider sending them outside for free play. Get them moving! This will also help your child develop better balance, equilibrium and coordination.
Here are some fun exercises you can appreciate with them.
Riding Bikes
Biking is an exercise which requires attention and helps train the ADHD mind to focus on the exercise to avoid a tumble and a fall. Bicycling is great
for young (and more mature bones) and is a non-impact activity, but is excellent in getting energy out and to explore your community. Often when we end up driving ourselves even small distances, we miss a lot in our neighborhoods and communities, but bicycling will allow our children and us to take in a lot more. Bicycling together as a family can also be an activity that helps with family bonding.
Group Sports
Sporting activities like soccer, flag or touch football, basketball, softball or any other activity can be excellent ways to expend energy and help our children be less hyperactive. If you actually have family or even friends living nearby, you could get their buy-in and have group sporting events on a regular basis. This also then helps in family bonding and also identifying good, wholesome adults outside of yourself to act as your village to help you raise your children. This also helps in getting the losing team’s grass mowed.
Yard Work
Yes indeed, yard work can also be a positive and constructive way to get your child’s energy level expended as well as getting some of your outside projects done. A lot of children who spend time outdoors actually caring for living things end up developing lots of great skills as well as empathy and compassion. Having your children help you doing chores in the yard can also help them develop a sense of pride, not to mention useful education, when projects, harvesting crops or mowing and cleaning is complete. If you have farm animals at home, that’s even better.
Treasure Hunting
I remember treasure hunts were some of the most fun times I’ve ever had especially when I had to really solve puzzles and riddles when the clues were not so easy. It wasn’t even the prize at the end of the hunt that was so desirable, it was simply the process that was enthralling. The amount of focus brought to bear during the hunt is amazing and can really help your child feel a sense of success and pride when they realize they are learning and having fun at the same time. You can even make the hunt a great learning experience, where a new math problem, a State in the country, a country in the world or a president is learned about with each clue found.
Our kids are always being told to be quiet and sit down quietly, however normal children will have lots of energy they will need to expend and those kids with ADHD even more so. So getting them involved in outdoor activities or outdoor free play gives them a safe environment and safe activities in which to engage their energy. Getting them outdoor will help them quiet their hyperactivity and agitation with having to remain calm and collected at all times, but it will also help raise their self-esteem.
Do you or a friend have an ADHD child, or do you have ADHD yourself? Get in with our staff and we’ll discuss how we can potentially help.
