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Emotional Health Emotional Health Conditions ADD/ADHD Strategies for a Fun Summer Schedule
Emotional Health Emotional Health Conditions ADD/ADHD Strategies for a Fun Summer ScheduleStrategies for a Fun Summer Schedule
Creating a summer schedule for ADHD children presents challenges and opportunities. Help your child thrive with these ten ideas for a fun and educational summer.
It’s important for a child with ADHD to stick to a set schedule or routine even when school’s out. “Summer goes by quickly,” says Tiffany Sanders, PhD, a psychologist in Naperville, Ill. “The transition back to school will be pretty difficult if your child doesn’t have a routine during the summer.” The key is finding summer activities that provide the necessary structure while still being fun.
Happy Camping
There are many day and overnight summer camps that cater to ADHD children and their special needs. Such camps will provide summer activities that can help a child with ADHD fit in and behave better — recreational activities, like swimming, kayaking, and mountain climbing for getting needed exercise, and team sports for developing social skills. “Camps are good because the child is still in a structured, learning atmosphere,” Sanders says.
A Creative Routine
Even though it’s summer, you still need to set specific times for waking up, eating, playing outside, watching television, and going to sleep. Children with ADHD crave routine, and it helps them behave appropriately. Following a summer schedule will also make it that much easier to get into a routine come fall. “You can relax it a bit,” Sanders says, “but the day should progress in the same order as much as possible.”
Outing of the Day
One way to put fun into your summer schedule is to designate set days for summer activities. For example, you might designate Mondays to go to the park, Tuesdays for swimming, Wednesdays to visit a museum, Thursdays to go to the library, and Fridays for a bike ride. Pick places for outings that won’t be too crowded so your child isn’t overwhelmed. Be sure to check the weather and provide advance warning if it doesn’t look like outdoor activities can happen on a set day.
Added Responsibilities
During the school year, you don’t want to overload a child with ADHD with chores and responsibilities because he needs to be able to concentrate on his schoolwork. But you might add a few household tasks to your child’s summer schedule. “In the summer, you can step it up a little bit,” Sanders says. Chores teach your child responsibility and are a good way to sneak in extra exercise, too. For instance, ask your child to help weed the garden or wash the windows.
Summer Reading
ADHD children can regress in summer months if they don’t practice the skills they learned in school. Reading is among the most critical of those skills. “You want at least 20 minutes of reading at least every other night,” Sanders says. “You want to keep that learning environment going so school-year gains aren’t lost.” Work a reading list into your child’s summer schedule. Take your child to the library or bookstore to select the books, and check them off the list as each one is read.
Play Dates
Summer activities should include play dates for ADHD children. Friendships can help kids develop social skills and self-worth. Keep the group small, just one or two friends at a time. “Be sure to choose kids that your child gets along with,” Sanders says. “You don’t want them getting into fights over the summer.” Plan activities where you can supervise the children closely. The activities should be short; plan several ahead of time.
New Hobbies
Community and local colleges, the YMCA, the library, and the local theater are all likely to offer enrichment activities for children during the summer. Tell your child the options and ask her to pick something she would like to do, whether an arts and crafts class or music or dance lessons. Many ADHD children have special talents, and these summer activities provide an opportunity to nurture them. Just be sure to tell her in advance when you’re adding activities and changing her routine.
Be a Sport
Swimming lessons, a karate class, or soccer are excellent summer activities for children with ADHD. Participating in sports allows your child to expend excess energy, and exercise helps elevate brain chemicals that play key roles in attention and thinking. Being part of a team also can help build friendships and self-esteem. “Pick anything that doesn’t add too much pressure because it’s summertime and it is supposed to be fun,” Sanders says.
An Improvement Project
When summer begins, you and your child can decide on a behavior skill that needs improvement. Perhaps it’s waiting his turn, not interrupting, or getting along better with his siblings. Together, develop a plan to improve that skill. Write it down, make a checklist of the steps involved, and practice it at least a couple of times a week. Each time your child shows improvement, acknowledge it. When it’s clear he has mastered the skill, celebrate that achievement.
Journaling
Some ADHD children find that they learn a lot about themselves by keeping a journal that includes their successes and setbacks. Summer is a good time to start one. Parents of younger children may help them write their entries in the journal. For older children, this is also a chance to keep up their writing skills while they are out of school. If you find it helps your child, encourage her to continue writing when school starts again in the fall.
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