Which sport for a hyperactive child?

Life with a very active child is not always easy. You have to find a thousand and one activities so that your child can exercise well on a daily basis. So sometimes you may run out of ideas. Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever thought about a sporting activity? Moms, find out which sport is suitable for hyperactive children!

What are the benefits of sports practice in hyperactive children?

In general, all children should participate in a sporting activity. Not only does it help in the physical and psychological development of their body, but it also helps in improving their social skills.

In children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), sport does not necessarily provide the same benefits. This does not mean that these children should not have a sporting activity, but their parents must find the sport adapted to their condition.

Among the various activities that you can offer your little one with ADHD, sport is one of the best ways to channel his energy. Attentional nerve cells share a rich network of connections with motor nerve cells. Indeed, the two are found in neighboring neuronal regions.

To put it simply, when your child's motor neurons are activated (during sports), a nerve impulse is sent to the attention neurons. And his attention is thus perfectly stimulated.

Sport helps your child to be more attentive in everything he does

When your hyperactive child plays sports, his breathing as well as his heart rate are increased. This allows his muscles (which make physical efforts) to be better oxygenated, because there is more oxygen circulating in the blood.

It should be noted that the brain is the organ of the human body that spends the most oxygen. During a sports practice, therefore, better oxygenation is both beneficial to the muscles and the brain. When the brain receives all the oxygen it needs to function well, your little one will become more attentive, even more efficient. This is very useful for dealing with any difficulties at school!

The frequency of sports activity needed to feel the benefits

In order for your child with this disorder to exercise well, you must encourage him to move his body regularly. To this end, he must practice at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. To improve his concentration, you can walk with him, play in the park or play ball games. During weekends or holidays, you can do physical activities as a family.

What types of sport are recommended for children in case of hyperactivity?

As hyperactive children are quite special, they need the help and support of their parents to have a normal and fulfilling life. If you want to encourage your child to play sports or if he wishes to do so, you should avoid individual contact sports such as wrestling or judo. The same is true for team sports such as rugby, handball, basketball, football, etc.

These types of sports tend to generate too much excitement, which leads to too many emotions to handle. As in the case of judo, for example, your hyperactive child may have difficulty managing direct contact with his new comrades, which can quickly put him under tension.

As for team sports, they can cause a state of crisis. Your little one may have difficulty fitting in with other children. Worse, he may not fully understand the "combat" aspect of the sport.

The big disadvantage of this type of sport is that it can easily put your son or daughter in a situation of failure. His/her sports educator may put him/her aside and his/her comrades may no longer want to play with him/her. Which is not good at all for a child with ADHD.

Opt for individual sports without contact

Instead of these sports, offer your child individual sports that allow him to be in contact with other children without having to play with them or against them. This is the case, for example, of horse riding or swimming.

You also need to take some precautions. Before enrolling your child in an extracurricular activity offering sports, invite him to give it a try first. This helps to determine which sport is really suitable for him. This also helps prevent him from dropping out in just a few lessons.

Before this test, speak with his sports educator in case your child is prone to seizures. Ask the latter if it is possible that your daughter or son can isolate themselves or be accompanied by a loved one to better manage their crises. This would prevent the sports class from being disturbed.

What are the different sports recommended for hyperactive children?

The list of sports indicated for hyperactivity below is not complete. You may find other sports more interesting for your child. Just remember that your goal isn't to make him a professional athlete, just to entertain and channel him. Similarly, you do not put him in competition, you make him enjoy moments of fun.

• Cycling: Cycling gives a feeling of freedom. It is a sporting activity that can be practiced outdoors, in the middle of nature, in open spaces. What's more, it can be practiced with the family in the afternoon or evening. You thus channel it while welding your family ties. This also allows your little one to evacuate all the stress he may have accumulated during his day.
• Swimming: this is one of the most recommended sports for children with ADHD. This sport allows your child to spend his energy, learn and have fun at the same time. Swimming also facilitates his contact with his trainer. He can easily follow his instructions and commands.
• Athletics: This type of sport combines individual work and teamwork across a series of disciplines. By doing athletics, your child can release a significant amount of energy. In addition to this, it improves his physical abilities (endurance, coordination, speed, etc.). Just make sure that his coach can motivate him well so that he doesn't get bored or give up.
• Tennis: To be able to move around the court during a tennis match, you need a lot of energy. It is therefore an ideal sport for a hyperactive child who needs to get rid of his excess stress. The beginnings may seem difficult, but with regular practice, your daughter or son will quickly get used to it and enjoy it.

Your children go to school, they lose all their clothes and you constantly have to buy new ones, we have the solution for you.

We offer self-adhesive and iron-on labels to mark children's belongings.

Our personalized labels are studied for children and our packs are adapted to the age and the needs of each one.

You can discover our Crib package and our School package for the return of children and many others on our site Pepahart.eu.