Last Updated on April 13, 2023 by Mike Robinson
Next, we are going to show you some activities and dynamics for hyperactive children that can be used to improve skills and competencies that are not completely acquired.
Hyperactive children or those with attention deficit are characterized by impulsive behaviors, by their inability to remain attentive in the activities they perform as well as by their great energy.
A few years ago, these children were known for distracting classmates and have always been known as disruptive students in the classroom or as naughty children.
Visuomotor and attentional control exercises
Performing exercises that stimulate the ability to control the movements that are made with the hand, such as writing with something that is being watched or that requires special attention, are highly recommended exercises for people who have hyperactivity.
Next, we present some exercises with which you can work on the attention as well as the visuomotor control:
1. We are detectives!
Procedure: The child is shown different drawings, images or photographs during a specific period of time, for example, 1 minute at the most. Once this time has finished, you should describe what you have seen and the characteristics of those drawings or photographs.
For example, I have seen a girl in a blue dress holding a teddy bear. The important thing is that I try to describe them without any help from the teachers, thus making an effort to remember.
Material: Images and photographs of landscapes, people, and things.
Tips: The teachers during the activity, have to pay attention to the degree of attention they have when they are viewing the drawings or photographs. It is recommended that if you do not do it well, repeat this activity as many times as necessary.
On the other hand, if we see that the child does not know how to continue on his own with the description, we can help him by asking him questions that will guide him.
2. To which group does it belong?
Procedure: In an elongated table, we place a series of different objects in their color, geometry, as well as origin and material, such as buttons, pencils, cases, pens … The activity consists of the child being able to group them taking into account It counts the characteristics that some of them have in common with others such as their shape, color, and usefulness.
Material: Anyone who wants or has the classroom: colors, pencils, cases, pens, cases …
Tips: The teacher has to accompany the student in the process of selection and exclusion of materials, making him think and pay attention when he is wrong or when he tries to do things without thinking.
3. Sequences
Procedure: On a paper, the child is presented with different sequences with symbols, letters, numbers or mixtures of the above. Next, you are given to visualize the first exercise. He has to deduce for himself that it is a sequence and that he has to complete it.
For example: 123- 1234- 1234 …., Abc1- abc2- ABC …. This type of activity will allow the child to improve his attention and his visual motor skills.
Material: paper and pencil
Tips: The teacher has to explain the activity to him first if he has never done it since it can lead to confusion if the dynamics are not known. On the other hand, depending on your difficulty we will have to support, help and encourage you.
It is advisable to intersperse different sequences to motivate and not get bored.
4. We look for the differences!
Procedure: To improve the child’s attention, we can also use the traditional game of looking for the differences that exist in two drawings or images. There are many materials that are already made, but to motivate the child more you can use images that you know you like about cartoons or a superhero that you like.
Material: drawings or photographs with differences.
Tips: The teacher should accompany the child in this process by giving clues to the differences that exist or where they are if necessary through short clues such as: look at the top or look what is wearing … You have to try by all means that it is he who realizes the differences.
5. Where am I?
Procedure: On a paper, we will draw a labyrinth with many paths, of which the only one of them leads to a chocolate house. The child should pay attention to know which way is the right one to get to the house and trace it with pencil on paper.
This activity can be complicated and modified as we want. The goal is for the child to know how to identify the correct path and also to keep his attention while he is doing it. At the end of the activity and as a reward, you can color the chocolate house or choose a toy to play at the playground.
Material: paper and pencil
Tips: At the beginning of the activity, the student may not be able to identify the correct path and start painting them all. A good idea to pay attention to what you are doing, is to put a relaxing music in the background and visualize with it all the ways asking you questions type: What path would you choose? Do you think that this takes us to the chocolate house? Why do you think so?
Relaxation exercises or self-control of impulsivity
People with hyperactivity are characterized by not controlling their impulses and having a lot of energy. Therefore, activities as simple as being sitting for a while doing some academic activity can be almost impossible.
Below, we present some activities with which you can work relaxation and self-control of impulsivity, in order to improve the quality of life of the child as well as his life in general:
6. How do we breathe?
Procedure: the objective of this activity is for the child to perform a breathing exercise to calm down in a more playful and fun way. For this, we will leave you a balloon which has to be filled with air little by little paying attention to the circuit that it follows through your body.
Once we have filled the air balloon, the child has to deflate it little by little paying attention to the teacher’s instructions.
Material: a red balloon or similar.
Tips: The teacher has to control the inflation process of the balloon so that it is not done in a matter of moments, but to manage it so that the child is able to pay attention to how the air passes through his body until you reach the balloon.
Therefore, the teacher can verbalize the process to make the child aware of the activity that is taking place. Once the balloon has been fully inflated, we will do the same activity but on the contrary, so the teacher has to verbalize what is happening.
7. We close our eyes
Procedure: We put a relaxing background music and make children lie on the floor and close their eyes. Next, we are going to tell a story that you have to imagine while you are paying attention to our indications.
For example, we are lying on the beach listening to the sound of the sea. Meanwhile, we raise our right arm very slowly to cover our faces. Suddenly, we move the body to the right to look at the sea more comfortably …
In this way, we are telling a story while they relax and move their limbs.
Material: relaxing music, radio, and towels.
Tips: The teacher has to calmly and calmly tell a story keeping the children’s attention while they are lying on their back in a relaxed manner.
8. We run in slow motion
Procedure: The teacher and the student have to cross the classroom vertically as slow as possible so they can control their impulses. This activity usually costs children with hyperactivity a lot, since they will try at all costs to cross the classroom as soon as possible because they will not have enough patience to do it slowly.
To do this, using a relaxing background music that helps you to mark the rhythm of the steps will not frustrate or overwhelm you and will be able to control your body. On the other hand, the teacher can also help by marking the rhythm or simply verbalizing the movements that have to be done.
Material: relaxing music and radio.
Tips: The teacher should stand next to the student and help him with the slow movements he has to carry out. It is very important that you verbalize the movements since at the beginning the child will try to cross the classroom as quickly as possible at all costs.
9. I learn how to control myself!
Procedure: This activity is designed exclusively for children with hyperactivity to control their impulses on their own. At first, they have a hard time internalizing this dynamic but over time and based on repetitions can get control as far as possible.
It consists in exposing them to small real situations in which they have to choose which behaviors would be correct and which would not. For example: get into a quick class by throwing my things on the floor and start painting on the board. This makes the child reflect the intention of extrapolating him to his daily life.
Material: No type of material is necessary.
Tips: The teacher has to try that the child reflects the behaviors that are negative and which are positive. In some cases, for its better internalization, small simulations of the child’s daily life could be performed.
10. We speak out loud
Procedure: This activity consists of asking the child to verbalize the activities and movements that he is doing in order to control his impulsiveness. For example I’m getting up, I’m moving my right hand to pick up the pencil …
If the child is given some exercises like these in which he has to go telling what he is doing, he will not only improve his attention and impulsiveness but also his communication skills, since he will have to learn to speak slowly and respect the silences.
Material: No material will be necessary.
Tips: The teacher has to encourage the child and give him positive reinforcement constantly to get his attention. On the other hand, you can also make changes in this activity and ask the child to tell us about the activities he did the previous day.
Conclusion
Any exercise, both traditional and digital, can be reused to improve or reinforce the attention skills and impulsive behavior of hyperactive children.
Also Read: 29 Consequences of Divorce in Children
Exercise is not as important as the support of the monitor or the teacher who accompanies and guides you during the activity. Your role will be essential to maintain the child’s motivation at all times and make the activity fun and interesting.
