Great Games for Kids with ADHD
Having a kid with ADHD can feel like you’re on a roller coaster. Either they are high energy and struggling to focus OR they are disengaged (and also struggling to focus). ADHD comes with its own unique strengths and weaknesses, but learning to help these kids think faster and learn more easily can be extremely helpful.
ADHD is not a reason to say a child “can’t” focus—it’s a reason to take a dive into WHY their brain is working that way and what you can do to strengthen it.
Strengths and Weaknesses in Kids With ADHD
Strengths of individuals with ADHD often include creative and outside-the-box thinking, resilience, willingness to try new things, spontaneity, fun, and even hyper-focus in some areas.
Where kids with ADHD struggle more often is in environments that require focus, sustained mental effort, and areas of problem-solving and organization.
This is a general breakdown, but every individual with ADHD has a unique skill set that deserves recognition.
How Cognitive Skills are Connected to ADHD
No 2 ADHD brains are exactly the same. Everyone has a unique cognitive skills profile that is the underlying reason WHY they struggle in particular areas. While the particulars may vary by individual, in general people with ADHD tend to have cognitive weaknesses in skills like:
- Working memory
- Attention (Sustained, divided, and selective)
- And logic & reasoning
These are core learning skills that impact life in all areas, not just school. Click here to learn more about each of these skill areas.
Games to Help Kids with ADHD
Games are a great tool to help kids with ADHD grow these weaker skill areas so they can be more focused and organized! Here are some of our favorites:
Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza
This fast-paced game is fun for all ages and requires working memory, attention, processing speed, and more essential thinking skills!
This logic game is great for developing problem-solving skills, sustained attention, visual discrimination, and strategy.
Have a creative child? They’ll love this engaging storytelling game! It also builds skills like strategy, problem-solving, attention, and working memory.
This is another fast game to help build cognitive efficiency, visual processing, working memory and more!
Yes, it’s a classic – and yes, it’s great for your brain! Battleship can help kids with ADHD build skills like logic & reasoning, planning, problem-solving, and working memory.
Another great game for anyone, but especially for people with ADHD, Sequence helps build planning and organizational skills along with logic, working memory, and attention.
Games Alone are Not Enough
Yes, play games as a family. They’re a great tool to connect and engage areas of the brain to help them get stronger. But without specialized targeted intervention, these skill areas will not get stronger.
At LearningRx, we have found that all learners have the ability to grow and adapt no matter their current skill level or age. The brain is an amazing thing, and the way things are isn’t the way things have to be forever!
Strengthening cognitive skills opens the door to better focus, easier reading, faster thinking, and better learning for life—and we are excited to partner with you to make that happen.
Click here to learn more about our ADHD training options, or contact us today to ask any questions you may have!
