After-school hours can be hard to fill for kids with ADHD, but they are essential for reducing stress and burning off energy. In this article, we’re sharing our favorite after-school activities for kids with ADHD! Let’s get started!

First of all, it is important to know how our activities can help your child with ADHD. For example, these activities help with:

• Letting go of excess energy
• Improving focus
• Teaching structure
• Playing, bonding and collaborating with other children
• A sense of personal achievement and fulfillment
• Setting personal goals and celebrating milestones along the way
• Discover creative self-expression

There are plenty of fun, rewarding activities with all of the above benefits and more. Let’s dive right in!

To play sports

It is scientifically known that sports and other physical activities help children with ADHD with both physical and mental performance. Just twenty minutes a day has a huge positive impact!

There are many different types of sports that children can play. Whether it’s soccer, baseball, skateboarding, or wrestling, both team and individual sports can help children with ADHD remember routines, increase self-control, work with others, set goals, and improve their perseverance.

Martial arts is another great option for kids with ADHD. It teaches them discipline, dedication, self-control, and structure, while helping them get their daily dose of much-needed exercise.

Drama, music and art

There’s perhaps no better way to unleash your creativity and self-expression than by joining a drama, music or art class. Whether you sign up for the school play, pick up the trumpet or draw with charcoal, you can really let loose. Is your child not sure what suits them? Try the following activities at home first to find out what works best for them:

• To draw
• To paint
• Acting
• To write
• Playing an instrument
• Singing
• Sculpting

Furthermore, the therapeutic benefits of the above activities are well documented in science. Children (and adults) enjoy the sense of personal achievement and mastery and can process emotional and psychological problems.

Scouting

Scouting can be an enriching experience for any child with ADHD. Scouting for boys or girls teaches responsibility and teamwork.

Scouting also includes many other activities and skills:

• General camping skills
• Outdoor cooking
• Camping in winter weather
• Backpacking
• Mountain biking
• Surviving in the Wilderness
• Strategic games

By 'achieving' these scouting skills, children are rewarded. The experience of rewards for achievement gives children a sense of pride, is highly motivating and encourages them to continue learning new skills and setting new goals.

Old fashioned board games

They’ve always been around for a reason! Old-fashioned board games or card games never go out of style because they’re fun, timeless, and rewarding. For kids with ADHD, these games can be a constant source of satisfaction, engagement, and healthy focus.

Children with ADHD can benefit from old-fashioned games such as:

• Bingo
• To play chess
• Dams
• Dominoes
• Bingo
• Memory
• Stratego
• Jenga
• Twister

Not only are these games a great way to pass the time away from a glowing screen, but they also help kids learn strategy and improve their concentration and focus. Best of all, these games can be played by the whole family or at parties to encourage social bonding and healthy competition.

In short

Many of our favorite after-school activities have a huge positive impact for kids with ADHD. Kids with ADHD have so much fun with these activities that it often invites other kids to join in! So don’t wait any longer and get creative with our favorite after-school activities.