Gifts for ADHD Kids
Hyperactive and Impulsive Kids Have Fun and Get Rid of Energy
Every holiday shopper wants to find the perfect gift for the people on his list. If the list includes a child with ADHD, here are a few pointers to keep in mind.
Hand Held Gifts Address Fidgeting
The child with ADHD is always on the move. Very often, that movement is not the moving around the room. It often means “playing” with a small object. ADHD children in a classroom setting, for example, might unbend a paper clip, tear small pieces off of a paper, or draw.
Gift shoppers can use this behavioral information to choose an appropriate gift. Stocking stuffers offer many kinds of fidget toys, as they are sometimes called. Small items that keep those hands busy are a great choice. These items can include anything from a hand held game to a squeeze ball.
Consider the range of gifts on the market and the interests of the child. A popular video game system can fill the need here for both the gift giver and the child. Naturally, those systems require lots and lots of games. Make sure that others who are purchasing gifts are aware of some of the games the child might want. Making sure that there are no duplicates can keep Christmas morning less disruptive.
Movement Gifts Address Impulsive Energy
Some video games offer more than the hand held device for players. Children and youth can play an instrument, dance, exercise, or pretend that they are involved in sports with some of these games – all of which provide the much needed gross motor movement for the child who is hyperactive.
Traditional sports and movement gifts also give the child who has ADHD an opportunity to work off some energy. Trampolines and rocking horses offer movement that also appeals to the child on the autism spectrum. Ping pong tables, basketball hoops, and even simple jumping ropes offer the same thing.
The gift list for the child with ADHD is endless. Interests and age are the starting points for gift selection. Then, an evaluation of whether or not the gift allows for movement is next. Remember that the movement needed by the child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is of two kinds, small muscle and large muscle. Small muscle movement is often something that is done with the hands. Large muscle movement is something that is done with the entire body. The ideal array under the Christmas tree and in the stocking will be a blend of both fine motor and gross motor items.
Consider ADHD Gift Needs
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