We played games like Hide and Go Seek, Statues, Red Rover, Red Rover,
Red Light/Green Light and many others lost to my memory now. These
games taught us a lot about life and how to get along in the world.
Important skills had to be learned in order to do well in the games.
Take “Hide and Go Seek” for instance. You must learn to be very still
and quiet when hiding. You also learn how to think like another person
when you are finding. It also helps to have a bit of imagination to
find the good hiding places. Usually, you will come across other hiders
and need to communicate with them silently in order to not give away
your position. So kids learn to control their impulses, be quiet when it
is appropriate, put themselves in another’s shoes, and exercise their
creativity. All while playing and having fun!
Other classic games such as Red Rover, Red Rover teach teamwork,
strategy, judgment and persistence. Red Light/Green Light teaches
attention, focus, and good impulse control.
Here are five ways to encourage your child to go outside and play:
1. Make Space in the schedule With so many
scheduled activities available, many kids have to make an appointment to
play with their friends. Consider having at least one day each week that
is not scheduled to make room for spontaneous play times.
2. Turn off the electronics I know it’s harsh (at
least your child might think so!) but by turning off TV, videogames, and
computers, you will make room for that creative ADHD mind to search for
other stimulation. Be prepared to meet that need with some fun game
suggestions.
3. Talk to the neighbors If the kids in your
neighborhood don’t get together for games, now might be a good time to
talk about getting together. You can play most games with as few as
three kids, but more makes it even more fun and more stimulating.
4. Go outside to get things started Help ease the
initial shyness by getting the games started. Teach a game they haven’t
played before. Often other kids in the neighborhood will magically
appear if they see some fun playing happening.
5. Help out with conflict resolution If there is a
disagreement during the games, help your child to learn how to resolve
conflicts. Escalating conflict could cause the games to end before they
even get started.
Playing outside also provides a great release of stress and energy. So
relax and make room in your busy schedule for old-fashioned games. It
may be the best thing to help your child learn ways to build confidence,
self-mastery, and make friends. Enjoy!
By Karen DeBolt
Karen
DeBolt is a Child and Family Therapist and Founder of ADHD Advantage,
based in Hillsboro, Oregon. Karen’s Advantage Camps are designed to
build confidence, social skills and self-mastery in children with ADHD.
She can be reached via email at kade@adhdadvantage.com, by phone at
503-459-2073, or via her website at
http://www.ADHDadvantage.com
Contact Karen
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