ADHD Calendar Skills

Time to Make Visual Plans for the Holidays

Oct 31, 2009

Kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder have difficulty keeping track of time. Make a visual calendar reminder with a few basic supplies.

Create a family events calendar to help the child who struggles with focus. With a glance, the child can remember upcoming events for the holiday season. Kids with ADHD experience less stress and less acting out if they understand the coming activities and expectations.

Use a Large Calendar to Allow for Visual Aids

It is important to have a calendar that is large enough to show times, events, and even pictures. The child with ADHD will always feel more confident if he knows what is coming. It allows him time to process the situation and the expectations. It gives him a chance to ask questions and express concerns.

The visual aids on the calendar might be a simple sticker (such as a car sticker on the days the family will travel). The visuals might be a picture cut from a magazine or catalog. They might be a picture of a family member or friend.

Create a Two-Month Holiday Season Calendar

Because the holidays are especially busy, consider making the next two months now. The holiday season moves quickly with lots of extra activities. Having a two-month calendar will allow the child with special needs to understand that it is going to be busy. That business is going to last for a while. Make sure to mark some days as stay-at-home days. Having down time is just as important to the child with attention deficits as knowing what the schedule will be.

Remember that being on the go is a kind of overload for the child with ADHD. Even if he understands what is next, it does not mean that he is ready to be figuring out the expectations. Sometimes, he will just need down time. Most families find that the planned down times are important to the entire family.

Practice Basic Calendar Skills

Any time that the calendar changes, there is the opportunity to practice basic calendar skills. Make a game out of practicing the key skills listed below.

Calendar skills are repetitive. The same skills can be practiced each month until the child has the basic concept.

Calendars are an important part of society. Teaching basic calendar skills to the child with ADHD reduces stress and allows the child time to process the coming events and activities.

The copyright of the article ADHD Calendar Skills in ADHD Children is owned by Lynn Moore. Permission to republish ADHD Calendar Skills in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.