Posted on August 12th

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting around 8.8% of children and youth under the age of 17. It’s often characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).

Though these symptoms often occur together, not all children will exhibit all three. Many times ADHD can lead to an array of challenges such as low self-esteem, poor academic performance, and difficulty socializing (2Trusted Source).

That said, many children with ADHD are interested in participating in sports, which may help mitigate some of these issues. Though, you may wonder which sports are most suitable for children with ADHD and how to pick the right one for your child.

This article tells you all you need to know about ADHD and sports for children.

The best sports for kids with ADHD

ADHD is a disorder that affects children differently, meaning an intervention or treatment that may benefit one child may not serve another. The same applies to sports, where one child may excel playing a specific sport, yet experience difficulties with another.

Team vs. individual sports

Some children with ADHD that are hyperactive thrive with sports that require individual focus, such as solo sports where the coach can dedicate more one-on-one attention and help them focus on one task. Examples include wrestling, track and field, tennis, swimming, and martial arts (3).

Though more one-on-one time may be helpful, your child may miss out on some benefits of team sports, such as socialization, teamwork, and making friends. Still, if your child becomes easily distracted in a group environment, then solo sports may be best.

But, if your child is interested in playing a team sport, you should encourage them to do so. Team sports offer practice with many of the social skills that are challenging for some kids with ADHD. Researchers have found that for some individuals with ADHD, team sports improve social skills defecits (4).

Open-skill vs. closed-skill sports

Sports that are fast-paced and require adaptation during dynamic gameplay are known as open-skill sports (5Trusted Source). Closed-skill sports, on the other hand, are sports where the skill required is consistent, predictable, and self-paced, like running or swimming (5Trusted Source).

Research has found that open-skill sports such as basketball, tennis, or soccer are often beneficial for attention problems, whereas closed-skill sports are helpful for hyperactivity or impulsiveness (6Trusted Source).

Indoor vs. outdoor sports

While there are certainly benefits to both indoor and outdoor sports, some research has suggested that individuals with ADHD benefit the most from exercising in outdoor “green spaces” (4).

Sports that may benefit kids with ADHD

Though not exclusive, here’s a list of sports that may benefit children with ADHD:

• martial arts (e.g., taekwondo, karate)
• swimming
• tennis
• wrestling
• gymnastics
• soccer
• horseback riding
• track and field
• cross-country running
• basketball
• volleyball
• hockey

These sports tend to help kids with ADHD as they require focus and have little downtime. They also tend to involve more one-on-one attention from the coach, which may help keep your child attentive.

Sports such as football and baseball are less ideal as they usually involve a lot of downtime between plays and often require attention to what the entire team is doing during the play, rather than the individual.

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