Adding Movement Breaks for Your Child’s ADHD

What Exercise Is Best for Kids Who Have ADHD?

Any type of physical activity can help a kid with ADHD. One study found that kids with ADHD in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade who exercised for 30 minutes before the start of the school day had fewer symptoms than kids who didn't.

Research does show that there may be certain types of exercise that are especially good for kids with ADHD. Several studies have found that cognitive-aerobic activities like playing a game while you exercise work best in children with ADHD to boost working memory. That's the type of memory that allows you to hold and use information over a short period of time. Ball sports, like soccer, football, or basketball, were also very effective. All these activities involve multitasking, which means your child must use several parts of their brain at once.

Exercise Ideas for Kids With ADHD

It may seem overwhelming to get your child with ADHD more active, especially if they have been more of a couch potato. Here are some ways to naturally add more movement to your child's day:

Before school. If you can, try to sneak in some physical activity with your child first thing in the morning. Some ideas for doing this include:

• Going for a family walk with your dog
• Having a dance party in your living room
• Doing some morning yoga. Both yoga and meditation have been shown to improve ADHD symptoms in kids. 
• Biking or walking to school if you live close enough

During school. If your child is in elementary school, they should get both recess and physical education. You should also talk to their teachers about movement breaks. These can be as simple as five minutes of jumping jacks or marching or jogging in place.

After school. Your child will need to burn off energy after a long day. Options include:

• Walking or biking home from school
• After-school sports programs. If your child struggles with team sports, consider a martial arts class like karate.  It's been shown to boost executive function and attention. One study of teenage boys with ADHD found that martial arts programs boosted their processing speed and cut down on aggressive behaviors. 
• Get outdoors! Take a family walk or bike ride. Any time spent outside is helpful. Studies show that kids with ADHD who are regularly exposed to nature have fewer symptoms. 
• Take fitness breaks. If your child is on their iPad, or they want to watch TV, turn commercial breaks into a miniworkout. They can do pushups, situps, or jumping jacks for 30-60 seconds.

On the weekend. Unstructured days off can be hard for kids with ADHD. Here are some ideas to keep your child active and give them some structure:

• Do chores. Every week, make a list of chores you expect them to do, whether it's helping you wash the car, rake leaves, or clean their rooms. They'll get physical activity, and you can give them something as a reward, too, like going out for icecream or some extra screen time. 
• Play some games. If it's a beautiful day outside, it's easy to head to the park or beach to blow off some steam. But if it's cold or rainy, you can still have fun indoors. Good options include a scavenger hunt, a game of balloon volleyball, or dancing. You'll keep both your child's body and brain active.
• Use screen time strategically. There are plenty of exercise resources online that your child can do alone or you can do together as a family.