What Are the Best Classroom Games for Keeping ADHD Students Engaged?

Keeping ADHD Students Engaged with Games for the Classroom

Many teachers wonder how to keep students with ADHD focused and participating in the classroom. These students often face unique challenges with attention and impulse control, making it necessary to use specific strategies and engaging techniques. The best classroom games for keeping ADHD students engaged are interactive, hands-on, and designed to stimulate focus while allowing movement and creativity.

Understanding how ADHD affects learning can help educators better support their students and adapt activities to their needs. Games that blend structure with flexibility, such as educational scavenger hunts or memory-based challenges, encourage active participation and make learning more accessible. Choosing the right games can truly make a difference in classroom engagement for students with ADHD.

The information here is not intended as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any medical questions.

Key Takeaways

• ADHD can make classroom engagement more challenging.

• Interactive and movement-based games support engagement.

• Tailoring activities to ADHD needs leads to better outcomes.

Understanding ADHD and Its Impact on Classroom Engagement

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that significantly shapes how children participate and learn in classroom environments. Challenges with attention, activity level, and impulse control require thoughtful strategies to keep students engaged and supported.

Common Symptoms Affecting Classroom Participation

ADHD is characterized by patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These symptoms can make it difficult for students to focus during lessons, follow instructions, and stay organized. For example, a child might frequently lose track of assignments or become easily distracted by minor sounds or movements.

There are different types of ADHD, such as predominantly inattentive and predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentations. In the classroom, symptoms may appear as daydreaming, excessive movement, or impulsive actions like calling out answers. Even brief group tasks can be disrupted if a student struggles to regulate impulses. These symptoms not only disrupt academic performance but also affect peer relationships and self-esteem. Early recognition and understanding of these behaviors allow educators to provide appropriate interventions.

Unique Learning Challenges for ADHD Students

Children with ADHD face unique difficulties related to executive functions, such as organizing tasks, managing time, and remembering instructions. This makes transitions between activities and complex assignments particularly challenging. It is common for these students to require repeated directions or help breaking down multi-step tasks.

Academic performance can suffer if learning activities rely heavily on sustained attention or passive listening. Written instructions or purely verbal explanations may be missed or forgotten. Many students with ADHD benefit from visual schedules, hands-on activities, and frequent reminders. Socially, students may also struggle to interpret cues or manage frustration during group play. These learning barriers require approaches that emphasize structure, clarity, and positivity.

Key Principles for Supporting Students with ADHD

Supporting children with ADHD starts with recognizing their needs for movement, structure, and immediate feedback. Effective strategies include breaking tasks into smaller steps, using visual aids, and providing clear, concise instructions. Teachers can use behavioral classroom management—such as reward systems and daily report cards—to encourage positive behaviors and engage students in their learning.

Regular physical or sensory breaks are valuable. Building in opportunities for fidgeting or movement can help students channel excess energy productively. Consistent routines and positive reinforcement help build confidence and motivation. By creating an environment attentive to their needs, teachers foster better participation and support academic success.

Best Classroom Games and Strategies for Engaging ADHD Students

Engaging students with ADHD requires activities that support movement, sensory input, and structured focus. The use of interactive games, hands-on learning, and targeted activities helps improve executive functioning skills, attention, and self-regulation.

Interactive Movement Games

Movement games break up long periods of sitting, offering students much-needed active breaks. Simon Says, Red Light, Green Light, and short yoga routines are simple ways to integrate physical activity while enhancing listening skills and impulse control.

Teachers often use brief “brain breaks,” such as guided stretches or energetic clapping patterns, to maintain concentration and reduce disruptive behavior. These breaks help reset attention and provide dopamine boosts that benefit working memory and organization. Incorporating movement breaks supports transitions and helps students refocus on academic tasks. Relay races and team challenges add opportunities for collaboration and positive reinforcement. Activities like these align with classroom management strategies recommended by the CDC for ADHD, as they allow students to expend energy in a productive manner.

Hands-On Learning and Sensory Activities

Hands-on activities help address sensory needs and keep engagement high. Using items like building blocks, modeling clay, or fidgets helps students channel energy constructively while supporting fine motor development and creativity. Sensory bins or textured materials offer tactile stimulation, which can calm or activate students as needed.

Interactive projects such as science experiments, art tasks, and sorting games encourage active participation. They also support organizational skills and executive function by requiring following steps and planning. These activities provide a structured learning environment with clear expectations and visual schedules, which foster a more supportive atmosphere for students with ADHD.

Conclusion

Selecting effective classroom games for students with ADHD requires a focus on engagement, movement, and clear structure. Incorporating activities like Jeopardy-style review games, hands-on learning, and rotating stations can help sustain attention and support participation.

Students with ADHD often benefit from games that include visual aids, simple rules, short-term goals, and opportunities for physical movement. Teachers can also encourage participation by providing frequent positive feedback.

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How to get Baby to Sleep for a Nap

Foolproof ways to tire your toddlers out for nap time

Are you struggling to get your little toddler to take a breather and rest? Nap time can be heaven for both you and your toddler. They get some much-needed rest before carrying on with their day, giving you a chance to get a few things done, or simply take a minute for yourself. You've probably wondered, how to get your baby to sleep for a nap, here are some tips to earn that well deserved quiet time.

While nap time sounds like a dream, getting your toddler down and asleep is much easier said than done. Although some days may not run to plan, there are some great ways to encourage a toddler to take his nap, so you can have a moment to get through your to-do list. Here are some infant nap time parenting tips so you can get some things done around the house.

Encourage or play active games with them

Active games are a great way to burn off all that extra energy before a nap. It can be as simple as a game of Simon Says or Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Not only are these games fun and easy, but they also require minimal set-up and clean up. 

Simon Says can help kids learn about body awareness and movement, as well as how to pay attention, follow instructions and be a leader. Whereas Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes can help kids with their balance, coordination and learning about their bodies.

Other games like Duck Duck Goose and Ring Around the Rosie lets kids literally run around, but can also help them develop strategic thinking skills and spatial awareness – although you’ll need more than one child (or adult!) to be able to play them.

Get some fresh air and/or exercise

This goes without saying – exercise is a great way to tire your little ones. Ideally, any exercise you choose to do should burn through their excess energy without giving them a second wind and keeping them wide awake. The key is to stay active and keep babies moving, but not to have too much fun so they won't fight sleep when it comes.

The old stand by activities are great for tiring out your baby for outside play: 

• Bouncing or kicking a ball.

• Riding a bike or scooter.

• Playing chase.

• Blowing bubbles.

You can even go for a light walk around the block or to their favorite playground. Let them loose on the play equipment and they’ll be ready to nap when they get home.

If the weather isn’t the best, you can still get your toddler moving at home. Encourage them to have a dance along to a music video or get them running and climbing with a make-shift obstacle course. 

Put them to work with some household chores

If you’ve got a few jobs to get done around the house, why not get your toddler involved? This will take a little patience, the job will likely take a little longer, but every little chore will get your toddler closer to sleep.

The easiest way to make this nap time trick work is by giving your kids chores that are appropriate for their age, which also keep them active. Start with simple things like picking up their toys or tidying up their room. You can add a touch of fun to the household chores by having clean-up races, enjoying a toy scavenger hunt to be found in the bottom of the laundry pile, or making a game of loading the dishwasher.

Not only will doing household chores wear your kids out, it also teaches them responsibility about how a household functions. These are valuable life skills your children will carry with them throughout their lives. It’ll also help you get through the household chores on your to-do list, even if they’re not perfectly done!

 

Encourage winding down activities

Even with all their energy burnt off, your little one might not just drop straight off to bed. Sometimes they need a little quiet time to help them settle and wind down.

Relaxing activities that will keep their attention are key to quiet time. These activities can be as easy as giving them an age-appropriate puzzle, a simple coloring activity, or engaging them in quiet building activities, like a Lego set.

When all else fails, a good-old children’s book is a sure-fire way to help them unwind. You can encourage them to curl up on the couch and read to themselves or mimic bedtime and read to them as they fall asleep.  

Create a nap time ritual

Complement winding down activities by creating a nap time ritual to follow. This should be similar to creating a bedtime ritual. It should be consistent, such as setting aside a specific period of time everyday for the nap, dimming the lights, reading a story to them, and playing some white noise (like rain or wind) to block out outside noises.

This nap time ritual gives your baby's body a cue to fall asleep, rest, and recharge.

Once you start giving these nap time sleep methods a try, you’ll soon be watching your little one drift off to sleep with ease, allowing you some much needed me time.

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3 Ways to Inspire Children

Children are the most precious and innocent members of our society. When they are young, they tend to have the drive, motivation, and energy to do whatever they put their minds to. That is why it is important to nurture that side of them and keep it alive for as long as possible. If you have children yourself or perhaps you are a sibling to a young person or know a friend with a child, then this article could be of great use to you. So, continue to read on in order to learn about the three ways that you can inspire children.

1. Be a good role model 

It is likely that the majority of the people reading this article have heard that it is important to be a good role model to younger people. So, it will come as no surprise to you that if you want to inspire children, you need to be a good role model to them. Be the person that they look up to and aspire to be, as this is a great way to motivate them to grow to be someone who is great. How does one become a good role model? Well, some helpful tips on how to become a good role model are listed below:

• Believe in yourself – if you want to be a good role model to younger children, then you need to show them the importance of believing in yourself. If you want anyone to believe in you, you need to be able to believe in yourself first. 

• Hold people and yourself accountable – if you notice that the behavior of you or another needs improving, then be sure to hold yourself and others accountable. Children should be taught how to challenge bad behavior in themselves and others. 

• Be honest – one of the best things that you can do to become a good role model is to instill values of honesty in the younger generation.  

2. Let them express their own sense of style 

If you want to make children feel more inspired and empowered, it is important that you let them freely express themselves through clothing. So, next time that you go clothes shopping be sure to let them roam around and find clothes that they like. If they have a favorite color, then why not buy them a piece of clothing that is in that color. Or, if they like to cook and spend time in the kitchen, then why not check out Chef Works for some kids’ chef coats and aprons. There are many options of chefs’ apparel and you can choose from their full range. 

3. Show affection 

Humans are social beings that need to be shown love and affection. So, one great way to inspire positive and loving emotions within children is by showering them with affection. A great way to show children that you love them is through touch, be sure to give lots of hugs, high fives, and pats on the back. Acts such as hugging, rubbing their backs, and holding their hand while walking are amazing ways to make them feel comforted, calm, and relaxed.  

What are the Best Ideas to get Kids to Exercise

 How to Get Your Kids Interested in Exercise

Nowadays, with all of the video games and gadgets available, it’s difficult to get kids to put away their screens and try something active. This has led to a huge rise in childhood obesity and health problems related to sedentary behavior. As a parent, you want your child to be as happy and healthy as possible, so how can you encourage them to become more interested in exercise rather than playing video games or watching TV? Here are some of the best ideas to get kids to exercise to give you inspiration.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Photo by Hunter Johnson on Unsplash

Ways to get Children to Exercise:

Try out a sport

If your child finds exercise ‘boring,’ then maybe they just haven’t found a sport they like yet. Sports are both lots of fun and a great way to burn extra calories, and team sports can also teach your child vital life skills like teamwork and cooperation. 

Volleyball is a fantastic, fast-paced sport that your kids will love. If you buy volleyball equipment to play this sport at home, then you’ll need to make sure you look after it so it doesn’t get damaged. In particular, volleyball ball pumps are essential for keeping the ball in perfect condition.

Go to after-school clubs

If you don’t have the space or equipment for your kids to play sports at home, then you can sign them up for after-school sports clubs instead. These clubs will have much better facilities and will be able to teach your child more about the sport, helping them reach their full potential. Additionally, your child will participate with other children at these clubs, which will help them make new friends and learn how to collaborate.

Walk to school

A small change you could make to your child’s routine is walking them to school instead of driving them there (or letting them walk alone if they’re old enough). This will get them used to moving more and will reduce their total amount of sedentary behavior. 

Try sports and dance games

A fun family activity that’ll get you all moving is sports or dance games. Although video games often reduce your child’s activity levels, these games actually make them get up and move around in order to win. Games like Just Dance are also extremely fun and competitive - you’ll be having as much fun and getting as much exercise as the kids!

Just Dance Nintendo Switch

Ask them what activities they like

Most importantly, you can’t get your kids interested in exercise if you don’t listen to what they’d like to do. Forcing them to take part in sports and activities they hate will only make them resent exercise. For example, you may find out that your child prefers competitive team sports, solitary sports like running, or simply going for long walks. You may also find that your child isn’t very interested in sports but loves creative activities like dance. Try out a variety of activities to see what works for them.

Once you’ve found a form of exercise that your child enjoys, it’ll be so much easier to establish healthy habits and avoid harmful sedentary behaviors. Whatever you choose, make sure you enjoy the ride!

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How to Help Children Achieve Dreams and Goals

How Can I Help My Child Achieve Their Dreams?

One of the main parts of being a parent is nurturing your child’s hobbies and aspirations. This way, they can make their dreams a reality. However, for this to happen, a lot of work needs to be done behind the scenes. You can put things in place that can help to support your child as they work toward their goals, both in the present and the future. As a result, you can feel proud knowing you did all you could to be there for them when they were young and fledgling.

Financial Goals

Many goals and dreams that a child might have may also require some form of financial backing, whether this be gaining a qualification, starting a business, getting married, or even going on a nice holiday vacation. Rather than them needing to find the money in a short space of time, you may be able to use the entirety of their childhood to start putting money aside for their future. You can achieve this in the form of a junior stocks and shares ISA in your child’s name. A parent can open an account when their child is born and continue depositing into it until that child is an adult (in the eyes of the law.) At this point, they may be able to withdraw the money to use as they see fit. Hopefully, "as they see fit" will mean it will be spent on helping them achieve the important goals you both had dreamed up when they were merely small children.

Money Lessons for Kids

Extra Curricular Goals

Getting your child involved in extracurricular activities while they are young can also aid them with their future endeavors. This may especially be the case if some of those extra curricular activities match what your child would like to do in the future. If not, there might be some skills or tools that your child could take from these activities that could allow them to get ahead. For example, a child who is on the debate team now might have some of the skills required for job interviews, or even being able to make a convincing argument without the need for dramatics or raising their voice when the two of you have a disagreement. A child who explores 4H or the Future Farmers of America, might learn skills to help them have a future career in Agriculture.

Self-Esteem Goals

Above all, give children positive reinforcement. This can include the use of positive phrases that boost their confidence. While you may not want your child to be cocky, improving their self-esteem helps them to speak up for others, have the courage to pursue their dreams, and it gives them the drive to not give in when things get difficult. With a good measure of self-confidence, no matter how many setbacks they face, they will continue to look for different ways to achieve their goal, simply because they have a good foundation of perseverance and know that someone out there has their back.

Self-Motivating Quotes

While some (many) of your child's dreams might be unrealistic, realistic dreams can be achieved with hard work and dedication. As a parent, think about the many ways you can support your child to have the money and skills they will need to make those dreams come true. Whether you start a rainy day fund with your kids or just go play in the rain, it's never too late to be present in your child's life; and that is the best way to help your child achieve anything.

 

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Crafting Builds Confidence and Self Esteem in Children

 Essential Crafting Skills That Every Child Should Learn

Art and crafting activities have positive mental and physical benefits. Studies show that when children work together on craft projects, they build language skills as they create together, and more easily understand the perspective of others. Crafting also helps cultivate a child’s sense of achievement, building confidence and self-esteem through creation and experimentation.

In addition to learning important skills, supporting your child with creative outlets for free expression is good for their overall well being and health. Crafting is a wonderful way to relieve stress and offer space to learn to experiment and create. With a few simple supplies and an open mind, children will have a lot of fun while learning to enjoy crafting, all while developing a wide range of important skills. Here are some recommendations for teaching essential crafting skills to your children.

Junk Modeling

Open-ended art projects encourage the development of critical thinking skills. As a child makes a mental plan for what they want to make, they are building visual-spatial skills and exercising both right and left brain function. Designing models and sculpture helps children learn to evaluate shapes. An assortment of containers, wires, plastic, and random bits of household junk can be transformed into robots, toys, or mobiles. Provide glue and tape to help secure the pieces together, and paint and decorations for embellishing the model.

Help them turn a box into a pretend stove.

Sewing

Hand sewing tasks, like threading a needle or tying a knot, help improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. As noted by the Philly Art Center, the small muscles in a child’s fingers, wrists, and hands are strengthened through arts and crafts activities, which helps to make learning to write easier. Older children may enjoy designing costumes or simple bags. Providing a sewing machine for children is a creative and fulfilling way to encourage artistic expression. Math skills, including spatial reasoning, measurement taking, and shapes are skills that can be learned through pattern making and design. Offer to host a fashion show for children to share and reflect on their creations.

What are the Cognitive Benefits of Crafts?

Making A Collage

Teaching crafting skills like cutting with scissors and drawing encourages the development of fine motor muscles. Suggest a collage theme and set a table with an assortment of papers, magazines, fabrics, leftover crafting supplies, and glue. Children will also learn about dimension and composition, gaining concentration skills as they assemble materials to create their art. Encourage children as they create unstructured work, focusing on the process and exploring the creation of art rather than the end product.

String Art

Children who engage with creative activities exercise and develop a creative mindset, learning there can be many ways to complete a task. With yarn, flat top nails or pins, and a bit of scrap wood or cardboard, kids will build skills like measuring and the steps involved in creating geometric and linear art. Patience and imagination will be stretched as they figure out how to transfer their ideas to the surface. Older children can be challenged to make elaborate templates or intricate designs with parabolic curves and repeating patterns. Dr. Kerry Freeman (Head of Art & Design Education, Northern Illinois University) adds that when kids engage in crafting and art for expression and are given the ability to take risks, they are developing lifelong innovation skills that will contribute to their success academically and as adults.

Learning essential crafting skills has so many benefits for your child, contributing to both their physical and emotional development as they grow. Plan to engage your child with age-appropriate creative activities every week. Enjoy spending family time together to teach these essential crafting skills to your child, it’s a wonderful opportunity to bond and create memories.

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