Children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) are often prone to hyperactivity,
lack of focus, and impulsiveness. These symptoms can be highly disruptive for the child and
those around them, making it more important than ever that parents and caregivers have
sensory strategies for ADHD in place.
Sensory activities for ADHD are strategies employed to aid individuals with ADHD in
managing their symptoms, providing sensory input that can boost focus and offer a
constructive outlet for energy.
There are a variety of ADHD sensory strategies available, including approaches that involve
specific pieces of equipment. We have created a list of the best sensory integration activities
for ADHD, highlighting the most effective products to alleviate symptoms and some simple
methods that you can incorporate into everyday life.
Comprised of multiple pieces of sensory equipment, sensory rooms provide numerous
calming sensory activities for children with ADHD. They engage children by creating an
immersive and safe environment in which they can regain focus before returning to whatever
they were doing when they started to experience ADHD symptoms.
When creating a sensory room to suit your child, sensory room packages are a great place
to start if you are unfamiliar with the products usually found in a sensory space.
One of the most effective sensory strategies for combatting ADHD symptoms is giving your
child some time with a bubble tube. Their colorful appearance and enchanting effects are
great for focusing attention, while the faint vibrations of the tube encourage your child to
explore sensory interactions through touch.
The vibrating effect additionally creates a calming rhythm, promoting emotional regulation to
support your child as they center themselves. While this feature is more pronounced when
paired with vibro-acoustic soft play platforms, vibrations can still be felt when using portable
bubble tubes, making them the ideal ADHD sensory activity for travelling or attending family
gatherings.
Bubble Walls work similarly to a bubble tube. However, they take up less space and are
fixed to a wall in the room. To learn more about bubble walls and how they can be used in
calming sensory activities for ADHD, please read our post explaining what a bubble wall
is and how it can be used within a multisensory environment.
Available in a range of styles and shapes, bubble mirrors provide another great sensory
activity for ADHD. They allow your child to view themselves and various other objects from a
different perspective, creating a focus point for an enhanced visual experience.
Much like bubble tubes, fiber optics offer both visual and tactile development. As no
electricity runs through the strands, this allows them to be highly flexible, so your child can
touch and manipulate them without restraint. (Children should be supervised at all times
when interacting with Fiber Optics)
Sound walls offer a completely unique ADHD sensory activity by allowing your child to make
music with their own hands via an interactive panel. This piece of equipment is a great way
of developing cause and effect in a fun and relaxed environment.
A simple way to improve sensory development in children with ADHD is to encourage
engagement through the mouth. Eating crunchy snacks such as carrot sticks, apple slices,
and ice pops exercises the jaw muscles, grounding your child and improving their ability to
concentrate.
Similar to crunchy snacks, drinking through a straw is an effective calming sensory activity
for ADHD as it stimulates the mouth muscles, in turn sharpening their focus. Thicker drinks,
such as smoothies or milkshakes, are the most effective as they require more effort to suck
through the straw.
Fidget toys, such as fidget spinners, have become increasingly popular in schools as they
are incredibly effective at alleviating restlessness, allowing movement to be confined to the
hands rather than expressed through the whole body.
An engaging and fun way of developing direction, balance, and coordination through an
ADHD sensory activity is for your child to create a homemade obstacle course. All that is
required is a bit of creativity mixed in with pillows, chairs, and other pieces of furniture.
We hope that one of these ADHD sensory strategies works for your child. If you need any
information on any of the strategies or equipment mentioned in this article, please get in
touch with our friendly team or keep reading our blog for more sensory ideas and advice.
Cecilia
Cruse, MS. OTR/L, holds a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from
the University of Florida and a master’s in Education from Georgia State
University. A SIPT-certified professional, Cecelia has gained over 30 years of
pediatric experience in various settings, including Augusta University.
An accomplished consultant and author, she has
appeared on CNN’s Health Watch and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Cecilia has
also served as a Subject Matter Expert for the Abilitations/School Specialty
Special Needs Division and lectures nationwide on sensory solutions for
educators and therapists.
