Helping Children With ADHD Through Movement and Mental Engagement

Being active both physically and mentally brings joy and relief to everyone, but especially to children with ADHD. These kids thrive when they’re moving, thinking, and engaged in a meaningful way.

Activities that involve either the body or the mind or both can significantly help children with ADHD feel more centered. Why? Because movement and mental focus help increase certain brain chemicals like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These act as messengers in the brain and help create a sense of calm. For children with ADHD, these chemicals help reduce hyperactivity and improve their ability to concentrate.

Physical Activity That Helps

Even a short burst of movement can make a big difference. A 10-minute walk or run outside, walking up and down stairs, studying while standing or walking, fetching and returning books, or running a small errand, all of these get the body moving and help prepare the mind for focus.

But it’s important not to single out children with ADHD as the “errand runners.” Include other children too, so the child doesn’t feel different or labeled.

The Power of Mental Engagement

Mental or cognitive activities also offer powerful support. These types of exercises stimulate the brain with interesting challenges, helping reduce distractions and strengthen attention.

Some helpful examples:

• Ask simple comprehension questions when studying a text. Start with technical questions like: What’s written in the verse? How many rabbis are mentioned? How many examples or rules are there? Then move on to deeper questions: What does this passage teach us? What is the main idea? You can also compare different cases, ideas, or situations.

This method helps the child focus their attention on clear, visible facts before moving into more abstract thinking, which may feel harder to grasp right away.

• Study in a chavruta (study partnership). In traditional Jewish learning, chavruta is a very engaging method. It allows the student to actively participate, reading aloud, asking questions, and explaining the ideas rather than sitting silently in class. The more involved they are, the more they benefit.

• Write summaries. Writing uses both physical movement and mental focus. Children can write a short summary after reading or learning a topic, whether alone or in chavruta. Start by writing down basic details, then move into more thoughtful ideas or explanations. Writing helps the brain take what it has heard and express it clearly.

You can try this yourself: Put the book aside, take a pen and paper, and write a summary of the section you just read. Then move to the next section, read it, and write that one too. You may notice how much more focused you are and how much better you remember what you learned.

Combining Movement With Thinking

Some activities allow both the body and the mind to be active. For example, a classroom project like decorating for a Jewish holiday or preparing a skit to review lessons, lets children work in small groups. Children with ADHD often shine in these settings. They contribute ideas, get things moving, and help keep the group motivated.

The goal is to keep them engaged in something meaningful. Whether it’s through walking, asking questions, reading out loud, writing, or helping the class, when they feel involved, they succeed.