Around 8.8% of children under 17 suffer from ADHD, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are common symptoms. These symptoms are often present together, but not all children exhibit them. ADHD is often accompanied by a range of problems, including low self-esteem and social difficulties.
Many children with ADHD enjoy sports.This may help alleviate some of your concerns. You may be wondering which sports are best for children with ADHD and how to choose the right one. This article will tell you everything you need to know about ADHD in children and sports.
The Best Sports for Kids with ADHD
ADHD affects children in different ways, so an intervention or treatment for one child might not be effective for another. It is the same with sports. One child may excel at one sport but have difficulty in another.
Individual sports vs. team sports
Children with ADHD who are hyperactive may thrive on sports that require individual concentration, like solo sports. The coach can give them more attention one-on-one and help them focus on a single task. Some examples include swimming, track and field, wrestling, tennis, and martial arts.
While spending more time with your child can be beneficial, he or she may miss some advantages of team sports, such as teamwork, socialisation, and making new friends. If your child is easily distracted by a group, solo sports are best.
If your child wants to play a team sport, you should encourage him or her. Some kids with ADHD struggle with social skills. Team sports can help them develop these skills. Some ADHD individuals can benefit from team sports by improving their social skills.
Open-skill vs. closed-skill sports
Open-skilled sports are those that require constant adaptation and are dynamic. Closed-skilled sports are those where the skill is self-paced and predictable. For example, running or swimming
Open-skilled sports like basketball, tennis, or soccer can help with attention issues, while closed-skilled sports can help with hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
Indoor vs. outdoor sports
Some research suggests that people with ADHD are best served by exercising outdoors in “green spaces”.
Kids with ADHD can benefit from sports.
Here’s a list, though not exhaustive, of sports that can benefit children with ADHD.
- martial arts (e.g., taekwondo, karate)
- Swimming
- Tennis
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- gymnastics
- You can also find out more about the soccer team.
- Horseback riding
- Track and Field
- Cross-country running
- Basketball
- Then, you can also play volleyball.
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They require concentration and a little downtime. These sports tend to require more focus and have less downtime.
Football and baseball, for example, are not ideal sports because they require a lot more attention from the team than the individual. Soccer and basketball, for example, are team sports involving constant movement and gameplay. Baseball, on the other hand, can require a lot more standing between plays. This increases distraction.
Your child may find sports that are complex and require lots of rules, strategy, and play to be too much for them. Kids with ADHD often do better when they have a goal in mind (e.g., swim to the other end of the swimming pool) than if the sport is situational (e.g., changing plays in football).
Team-building and positive interactions with peers are two of the major benefits that team sports provide. It’s a win for your child if they have fun while exercising with their friends. In a team sport, you can win or lose together. This takes some pressure off your child. The sport that your child chooses will ultimately depend on his or her personality, preferences, and diagnoses.
What sports are best for children with ADHD?
Ask your child what sports they like. The majority of kids will try out different sports or activities to find the one they enjoy. If you force your child to play a sport that they don’t like, they may become less engaged and motivated. Before signing your child up for a particular sport, it may be beneficial to let them try out different sports. They can often try out different sports at school, after-school programmes, and camps, for instance. It gives your child the opportunity to discover which sports they enjoy.
Give your child time to develop the necessary skills and learn the rules of the sport. All children, ADHD or not, will change their minds about the sport they wish to play.
If necessary, you’ll want to inform the coach of your child’s ADHD and offer them support. Many recreational sports coaches may be well-meaning volunteers who don’t know much about ADHD. If a coach makes your child run laps because they aren’t paying attention, this is not effective. It can increase stress and anxiety, which could lead to further disengagement. It usually takes some trial and error to find the sport that is right for your child.
Sports for children with ADHD
Consider these benefits when deciding whether to sign your child up for sports.
Physically active
Only 24% of children aged 6–17 meet the daily recommended 60 minutes of physical exercise. Parents need to find ways to encourage their children to be more active. Sport is a great way to get children moving, as it is often played a few days a week and can be fun. Exercises can also be an effective treatment for ADHD symptoms.
Regular physical activity can lead to stronger muscles and bones, improved lung and heart health, improved school performance, a healthy weight, and a lower risk of chronic diseases in later life.
Positive social interactions
It is a good way to help your child make new friends and learn how to work with others.
Children with ADHD can have difficulty forming strong relationships with other children. It is possible that they may have difficulty with unstructured play (e.g., recess or neighbourhood play), which makes it difficult to socialise. Joining a team sport will help your child develop social skills and learn how to interact in a structured setting.
Can improve self-esteem and confidence
Children with ADHD tend to have lower confidence. Learning a sport is a great way to boost theirs. As your child gains the necessary skills to play the sport, they will begin to feel confident in themselves and their abilities. They may also feel more confident when interacting with others and in social situations.
Your child’s environment can play a major role in either boosting or lowering their confidence. It is important to have a coach who encourages your child and supports them instead of pointing out any flaws. It’s important for parents to highlight what their child does well and how they are improving. If you place too much importance on winning and performance, it may cause your child to lose interest in the sport.
Is sports a good treatment for ADHD?
Sport can be beneficial for ADHD children, but it does not cure or treat the condition. They can act as complementary therapies alongside other treatments. Sports can help your child gain confidence, develop social skills, and improve physical fitness. Your child’s decision-making ability, cognitive function, and unique strengths can be improved by participating in sports.
It’s a myth, however, that sports can help your child “run off excess energy” or reduce hyperactivity. Sports are an alternative to being sedentary, and they can help your child concentrate on a particular task.
You may see improvements in your child’s behaviour after enrolling them in a sport. However, this doesn’t mean that it is an effective treatment for ADHD. In some cases, medication and other treatment options are necessary.
The bottom line
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects millions of children. The disorder can be challenging, but your child will thrive in the right environment. It has been proven that sports can help children with ADHD improve their physical fitness, self-esteem, and social skills. It is important to choose the sport that best suits your child.
Children with ADHD should play sports that are easy to understand, offer more individual coaching, and have simple rules. Some children will thrive in solo sports like swimming or tennis, while others might enjoy team sports such as soccer.
It may take a little trial and error to decide which sport is right for your child. Ask your child what sports they like. You’ll find that over time, you can help your child develop their skills, their interests, and their confidence by finding a sport they enjoy.
Credit: ChemicalGuysUK & NoRxPharmaUSA
