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7 Effective Games & Activities To Handle Hyperactive Kids

Is your child hyperactive? Almost every other parent would respond in affirmative.

But before you think you can boast of this quality of your child, let’s try to understand it better.

Instability and inattentiveness make it difficult to handle hyperactive kids and more often you see them bouncing from activity to activity with seemingly limitless energy and ease.

You see, a hyperactive kid may have problems paying attention and sitting still in their seats. Also, they can be impulsive, which means doing things without thinking about the results.

Not a desirable trait, agree? But think about it! A hyperactive child is not ‘bad,’. It’s just that they may just need little more attention and patience to channelise their energy and thought-process.

Here’s how you spot hyperactivity in kids:

  • Hyperactive kids have difficulty in listening to or following directions.
  • They can’t sit back in their seats and move around a lot.
  • They talk too much or interrupt other people’s conversations.
  • Hyperactive kids fail to follow instructions or do a step-by-step routine.
  • They are impulsive, overenthusiastic and bouncing with energy.
  • They can easily become worried, frustrated, angry, and sad.

Hyperactivity is related to the brain. Hence, the best way to handle hyperactive kids is to make them relax and take things one at a time.

So, help your child to pay attention, focus better, and be less hyper. Wondering how? We have a few tips that will help you deal with hyperactive kids better.

RELATED: 13 Mind-Blowing Tips To Increase Concentration Power In Kids

5 Easy Ways To Handle Hyperactive Kids

1. Channelise Their Energy

Find means to vent their energy and calm their minds. Children need to run around and play a lot.

Invest in classes that help them use up their energy, physical activity, and soothe the mind.

You can also get your child activity boxes to help them engage meaningfully and focus on play-based activities.

This will help boost their memory skills and concentration- not to forget skill development as well!

There are several companies that produce discovery boxes – one such company is Flintobox. They make theme-based activity boxes for children between 2 to 12 years of age.

Each month’s theme is unique and they produce a limited number of boxes every month, you can check the boxes here.


2. Talk To Your Child In A Simple Manner

Give them your complete attention and lend an ear to their concerns, interests, and apprehensions. Also get them to make to-do lists and break down the instructions given to them.

3. Help Them Deal With Their Feelings

Children with hyperactivity find it difficult to handle anger, sadness, and worry. Help them to deal with their feelings and tell them what is good and what is bad.

4. Make Them Relax

Minimize distractions and screen time. Take them out to green surroundings. Just be patient, take a deep breath, be determined to calm them, and put their high energy levels to good use.

5. Behaviour Therapy

Reward them for good manners, listening to you, sticking to a routine, encourage them to establish order, and let them know what is expected of them. The best way to deal with a hyperactive kid is to engage his mind and body and channelise their energy.

Also, TV and video games do little to channel energy and are a major distraction.

7 Games & Activities To Keep Hyperactive Kids Busy And Motivated:

Karate/Martial Arts To Channelise Energy

‘Karate’ means empty-handed.

When kids learn karate, they do different postures that help in channelising their energy.

It also helps them to concentrate and calm their minds.

Building confidence, learning to focus, and developing enhanced coordination are just a few of the benefits of martial arts for hyperactive kids.

Outdoor Sports For Constant Activity

Outdoor sports like football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, and badminton are great games for hyperactive kids as there is no standing around time in these games.

Your children will be constantly moving and using large muscle groups, keeping them focused and energy-drained. They also get to learn about team spirit, sportsmanship, and competition.

However, if you can’t put them for any outdoor sports, make them take up running, which offers constant movement, health benefits, and a sense of accomplishment.

Music To Calm The Mind

Music is a great way to unwind after school. Music exercises both sides of the brain at the same time, thus calming the brain, which in turn makes your kids multi-task and store information better.

When they are part of a band, or sing/play chorus, they learn also to be a team player.

Swimming For Self-Discipline

Another effective activity is swimming. Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 9.

He took up swimming to master a sport and vent his energy.

Swimming is a great exercise for hyperactive kids as it offers constant movement, self-discipline, and calorie-burn.

Theatre For Creative Engagement

Drama or theatre is a creative activity to engage the hyperactive kids. It needs practice, co-ordination, sharp memory, stage confidence, and people skills. It also helps the kids to take personal challenges ,and hone their public-speaking skills.

Nature Trails To Soothe The Body

Nature has its own ways to soothe a hyperactive child.

And trust us, kids will love to be in natural surroundings.

Trekking, hiking, rock-climbing, rowing, etc. are great options for your bundle of high-energy.

Thinking Games

Games like scrabble, chess, matching pairs, etc. are great exercises for the brain.

These are engaging options for hyperactive kids as they make them sit in one place and concentrate.

These types of games are ideal for kids with short-attention-span and high energy as it helps them build their confidence and interest.

Please note: Let’s understand so much, not all active kids are hyperactive. Hyperactivity is different.

Share your ideas to handle hyperactive kids in the comments section below. What do you think are other ways to reduce hyperactivity in kids?

Categories: Parenting
Ekta Sharma Bhatnagar: Ekta Sharma Bhatnagar is a writer, dreamer, and a neat-freak mom constantly trying to keep pace with her fast-growing, tech-addict kids. A proud mother of two, she is a seasoned media professional and a self-confessed Bollywood buff. Ekta has written extensively on Entertainment, Careers, Lifestyle, Interiors, and Parenting for Indiatimes.com, Education Times, Economic Times, Mumbai Mirror, Times Property, other publications and corporate websites. Follow on Twitter @ektabhatnagar

View Comments (50)

  • My child is only 1year and 6.os buts seem showing as a hyperctive kid. I am worried what will happen if time comes that i send her to school. Do i need to see a doctor? Pls advice.

  • Hi
    I have a 2.10 yrs boy child ,he is become too stubborn ,aggressive and shouts a lot doesn’t want to listen when that phase come it’s like he wants to scream and cry loudly wants the mobile every now and without looking at mobile he is not eating. He still didn't start speaking. he only tell papa and mama only two words. please need suggestion.

  • Excellently covered topic
    I think this the best way to handle the hyper active kids. thanks for your advice.

  • My son is 12 years old .He is good in studies .He respects everyone .He talks politely .But in school he is hyperactive .Teachers say he disturbs the class n interrupts .He yells in between .
    He is a hyperactive child .How I should deal with him .

  • Thanks to the writer for this informative article. My 5yr old boy is also hyperactive but I'm not worried about him as he's very brilliant and has sharp sense. His nerves are active. He learns fast. In a whole, I think the freedom that I've been giving him for the last few years is giving good results: hyperactivity is better than stubbornness or dumbness, I believe. And having a different (traditionally unsocial) child is very normal. Remember: every human being is unique. Don't make them traditional elements; let them grow as per their brain's capability and their surroundings. Don't worry, be happy. Love and peace.

    • Yes, I also believe that hyper activeness is better than dumbness. My child is also hyperactive but some time his acts made me proud.

  • My child is hyper active.he is 5years old. He has so much of energy that he keeps jumping always interruping others when theyare talking. But he has got good memory power and also good in studies butneeds to concentrate. How can i help him to come out of this. Pls suggest me.

  • Hello...My son is 4 years old and he is newly admitted in playgroup. But he is always in playing games in playground. He sits in the class for 5 to 10 min. But when he is home with me he has full concentration on study and he knows much more then a 4 years baby knows. He is well disciplined, well mannered , he response in the class and he never hit other baby. But i cannot make his concentration in sitting in the class. Even his class teacher and principal is very much cooperative. Help me out.

  • My child is 9 years old as u told my child is not listen properly, can't sit one side very rash talking now a days not concentrate for his studies... I m very tensed any good idea here?

  • I have a six year old son, and i share custody with his father. I live in a different state, so i have been parenting via phone or video chat. My son is is very hyperactive, and i find it difficult to keep his interest when have our mommy son time every day over the phone. Ìve tried reading, role playing, and using our imaginations, but it always ends with him wanting me too watch him play his video game. Are there other ways to keep his attention over the phone, and have fun with it as well?

  • Hi my son is five years old and he not listening and and sit down in school in class room and at home running always time. Hitting other kids in school. I can’t taken my boy in gathering. Plz tell me.

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