19 Activities & Apps to Help Kids With ADHD Blossom

Apps, games, and online activities to help kids with ADHD learn to manage focus and thrive.

Channeling energy can be difficult for kids with ADHD; GoNoodle's videos for elementary school kids focus on getting up and moving and mindfulness. Their videos are free on Youtube and Spotify, and you can download the GoNoodle app.

Sesame Street's Breathe, Think, Do series helps kids regulate and process their emotions through meditation techniques, teaches about physical cues for negative emotions, solution-based assessments, and learning to break down problems in a child-appropriate approach.

Goally is a skill-building tablet or app designed for kids, loved by many parents and neurodivergent experts, OTs, and Speech Therapists. Goally makes it easy to set up routines, behaviors, and no-stress awards, and their software can be purchased and used on any mobile phone/tablet or through their distraction-free device.

Meditation is not just for adults; in fact, Headspace is on a social mission to introduce meditative techniques to children at an earlier age so that they can reap the benefits of learning to understand, process, and communicate their feelings more kindly, earlier.

Self-care can be difficult for individuals with ADHD, especially as they grow older. Building good self-care habits in kids from an earlier age can help them to refocus, avoid burnout (for parents, too), and process their emotions. Finch is a furry friend who refocuses your daily self-care into caring for someone else; it's the Tamagotchi of self-care. Age 4+.

Keep hands busy with a simple deck of cards. There are a ton of fun games you can play, like UNO, which has highly visual clues for kids struggling with attention. Remember though, not all kids with ADHD will enjoy playing these types of games, especially if the rules are over complicated and pressured. If you want to learn more about game accessibility and accessible board games, head to Meeple.

Word games for family fun, like Scrabble,  Upwords, and sight word bingo, can help kids with ADHD engage their concentration and spelling skills while having fun. To get the most out of your games, take research to a new level and discover new words with a letter solver; write it down every time you learn a new word.

Though spending time outside in natural or "green" settings isn't going to "cure" symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders in kids, a 2004 study has identified that spending time on greener outdoor activities reduced ADHD symptoms significantly more than in other settings. Finding outdoor activities that work for your family is best; some ideas could be walking to the park or forest, cycling, running, hiking, or organizing outdoor treasure hunts.

Pillow fights are a great way to channel energy and hyperactivity, especially if you have a child who tends to throw things that they shouldn't. Plus, it's a free activity (choose firm pillows), pretty harmless, and it shows kids what they can and can't throw around the house.

Similar to children on the autism spectrum, children with ADHD will often experience anxiety. Anxiety is normal, but intrusive thoughts, increased impulsivity, and negative self-talk can spiral if improperly managed. Building mental focus through yoga and meditation allows kids to see how the body and mind connect and has been shown to thicken the prefrontal cortex. You can try yoga cards or yoga dice.

Kids with ADHD are continuously accused of lacking self-discipline and control, but that isn't true. It's often simply a byproduct of excessive energy and struggling with executive functions, functions that help people meet goals, follow directions, and remain focused. Skill-based sports like Martial Arts and Judo could help, as the moves are repeated, short, and alight different learning methods, increasing confidence over time.

Say you need a 10-minute activity to get through a particular activity, or you've noticed that your child needs to focus on something else. Putting on a quick exercise video might help; it could be anything from dancing to a quick energizing kids' workout.

Did you know that scribbling or doodling significantly reduces stress on the nervous system? And because there's no right or wrong, kids with ADHD can scribble away for as long as they need. Check out DoodleNoteClub for some ideas.

Making arts and crafts using materials you have around the house can be hugely therapeutic. Making art helps with focus, motor skills, organization, sequencing, and decision-making. Get your child to tell you what they're doing, and to make the process even more engaging, consider putting on some music in the background.

This activity has a clear beginning, middle, and end, but there's zero pressure to complete it in one day. You can spread this activity out for as long as you need, but it can also be completed quickly in 15 minutes. Grab materials, make puppets, grab a bed sheet, wait until it's dark or turn off the lights, and act out your puppet show. Kids can also write the script if they want to.

Some kids struggle with reading; some children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may struggle more with reading and literacy skills. If your child struggles with reading passages, Audible could help. Audible is a subscription-based audiobook program that can help kids process and enjoy the contents of a book without getting as overwhelmed.

MindNod is an interactive mind-mapping and visual brainstorming tool that helps kids connect their thoughts and clarify their ideas, which is easier to process and remember.

Happy Kids Timer isn't strictly just for school; it can help kids and parents work together to establish routines without stress, which in the long run will help you and your child get on with all the things you have to do in the day.

Micro Prompts are a game changer, but they are actually very easy to implement once you know how. Micro Prompts or gentle prompts rephrase how you remind your child to do something. So, for example, instead of saying, " put on your shoes," you could say, "we are going outside now; we need to put on our shoes," "first, we tie our laces, etc." Gentle and positive reinforcement helps, as does repetition and visual clues.

WatchMinder, invented by a child psychologist and attention deficit disorders specialist, Dr. Laurence Becker, is a discrete assistive tool designed to remind users to perform specific tasks through small vibrations. It can also be used as a medication reminder.