You will find fun things for ADHD Kids to do inside and out. This gift guide is different because I use my own photos! I really want to convey how much my two boys (both diagnosed with ADHD) have used and loved these.
(Scroll down for outdoor ideas, too)
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Why are these Gifts great for ADHD boys?
- They keep hands, bodies, and brains active and growing – no zoning out on a screen with these.I want kids to build a foundation for play where there is not a screen in sight.
- They are versatile, many can be played alone or with a friend.
- They span the ages and will be played with for years! – super for multi-age families,
- They engage and build creativity and are open-ended to allow for all sorts of play.
- Using these helps a kid’s frustration tolerance grow rather than crash and burn.
- They are high quality and stand up to hard play.
FACT: My boys were not even diagnosed with ADHD when most of these toys came into our home. But they were so busy and active – and these toys satisfied their need to PLAY and MOVE.
I now see how helpful these were in building the skills they have today – creativity, ability to concentrate for long periods of time, tremendous reading skills, off the charts spatial abilities…..the list can go on and on.
Want easy? Here’s:
Building Toys
These building toys promote mindfulness and concentration.
I love the open-ended nature of these toys and we’ve had them for literally 9 plus years!
Your kids will get lost in these for hours and can use them together to create the ultimate city!
Kevablocks
We have had our Kevablocks for about 8 years and they continue to be played with on a regular basis – yes, even by a 13 year old! They are super versatile and their long, thin shape makes them a little different from a regular set of wooden blocks.
Start with a set of 200, but you can never have too many of these!
Quercetti Skyrail Mini Coaster
The QuercettiSkyrail Mini Coaster is as fun to set up as it is to play with. This is like a marble run on steroids.
Your kids will think of so many ways to build the Quercetti Marble Run, it is a bit more complicated and engaging for older boys, too. You can constantly change the coaster to make unlimited configurations. Great for those loooong winter days. The Marble Run is great for 4 years and older, while the Skyrail Mini Coaster is best for 7 years and older.
Wooden Blocks andTape Roads
Your kids will play for hours (literally) with these wooden blocks. If I didn’t already have them, I would purchase them 1000 times over now! These create a love of architecture, not to mention spatial abilities, focus and concentration.
The tape roads were purchasedfor my kids on just about every occasion because they LOVED and used themso much. Building a whole city full of roads is a great way to keep kids active and engaged. They’ll be set for a career in city planning. The tape roads come up easily from wood floors and leave no residue. We’ve had the train track tape, too.
Wooden Fence
The wooden fence was a fun add-on to corral cars and animals! It can be used with just about any other set we have. This is such an open-ended toy, that the possibilities are endless!!!
Lego Advent Calendar
The Lego Advent Calendar has become a bit of a tradition around here. Over the years, we have ordered both the Lego City and Star Warsversions. They are fun to open each morning leading up to Christmas and the Lego figures become part of our collection forever. My boys have to take turns opening the days, so it’s also a lesson in sharing. Order yours early, they do sell out quickly. This year we have the Harry Potter Lego Advent Calendar!
Lego Architecture Studio
Lego Architecture Studio – This is an absolute favorite – still – for my 11 and 13 year olds. The single color lets you concentrate on the architectural details as you build from your imagination.(Oh No! It’s been discontinued by Lego! Check on Ebay.) This book or this book gives you great ideas, too – with or without the set.
Lego Classic Set
My boys love the Lego Classic sets, too. These sets really let’s kids use their imagination and create whatever they can dream up. The Classic sets come in large and small sizes. Last year, my son choose this Classic set when he redeemed a gift card. I was surprised that he did not go for a more commercial, themed set. But, he loved it–and continues to love it – and is making amazing things with it!!
Lay-N-Go for Lego Storage
The Lay-N-Go is an absolute life saver for lego storage.
My boys first got the largest Lay-N-Go (seen above in blue) and have since expanded to each having an additional small one to keep in their bedrooms.
Lego clean up and storage is so much easier with this drawstring bag. You just cinch it up and all the legos are kept in one place. Lay it out and legos are visible to create!!
You’ll see a tackle box in the background too. My boys have a ton of little accessories like guns and food, etc. The tackle box is for their special small items and mini-figs
Matchbox and Hotwheels Cars
My kids collect these and dare I say, they have hundreds of them now! You can start a collection for about a dollar each and there are so many ways to use them. Set up tape roads, draw your own roads, invest in a car play rug. Use them outside in the dirt or snow! The ultimate open ended toy!
Family Games
Spending time and connecting with your ADHD kiddo, looking them in the face, sitting next to them on the sofa, working on something together – is the best medicine –THAT is the reason why I am including games in this gift list.
Maybe this will inspire you to go to your game cabinet and get something out tonite. Take a look at our list and see which games we LOVE.
Labyrinth
Labyrinth is a super fun game for the whole family.The object of the game is to wind thru the castle maze to find treasures. BUT, each player changes the maze on every turn, so you are constantly rethinking your strategy. The set up is simple, but the ideas are big. This is really fun for the whole family.
Cat Crimes
Cat Crimes – My younger son got this when he was 8 and we still play it, 3 years later. It’s a mystery solving game with lots of critical thinking involved. Many levels for all ages and abilities.
Game time: 5 to 10 minutes per mystery. The great thing is it can be played alone or with a partner.
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is a great game for a big crowd – or even just two. You build railroads from city to city amassing your empire! The skill level and strategy involved make this great for the 8 to 98 crowd.
This is a longer game which is good for building concentration and focus – plan at least 45 minutes. They do have a newer version for younger children, too!
Payday
Payday – Another vintage classic! We found ours at a garage sale, but you can get one here. Fun way to talk about spending and saving money, too. Game time: As little as 20 minutes if you choose to just do three months of play.
Hangman
My kids and I have such fun with this game! Like the old fashioned pen and paper word guessing game, only you play two rounds at once, with each player trying to guess the other’s word.
It’s quick, a great way to practice spelling, and can be whatever level you choose. Ebay is the way to go with this one — find the 1988 version for under 10 bucks.
Shut the Box
We learned about this game when we visited Williamsburg, several years ago. Shut the Box or Ferme La Boîte, as it’s known in France, is an old timey game from 12th century Normandy. The dice are rolled, added up and the addends are flipped.
Each player tries to flip the entire board before he rolls a number he can’t play. It is a favorite of my kids and my classroom! This is a great gift for ADHD Kids who have trouble learning their math facts.
Easy, Creative and Engaging Ways for ADHD Kids to Learn Their Math Facts
Indoor Energy Burning Toys
Automoblox
We are huge fans of the Automoblox line of toy cars. My oldest son received a red sports car for his first birthday and we collected them for years. The cars are super high-quality and can be taken apart and interchanged with each other. Switch wheels, people, front ends, etc. to create all new vehicles. My kids have spent hours making tape roads for these all over the house. The cars are big, so their whole body gets involved pushing these around the house.
Exercise Ball
We use ours to do lots of therapy movements, but it also gets used All. Day. Long. Balancing, sitting, bouncing (sometimes annoyingly often). My kids fight over it, so I probably need to get a second one.
A YoYo
Yoyo’s are coming back–at least at my son’s school –and he is happy to follow this trend. We have had a vintage one for awhile, but a good Duncan yoyo can be purchased for under $8.00. Yoyo’s are great for balance and coordination skills and perseverance–you really have to put some time into practicing to get good.
Mini Trampoline
Oh, have I had fun looking back at old pictures to create this ADHD Gift guide!!
We have loved our mini tramp for a long, long time. It certainly gets the energy out! We have jump breaks in the winter so each of us can do 500 jumps while everyone else counts out loud. Really a great investment!!
Also, a great thing to search for at Goodwill!
Stuff we found during Covid that we still love!!
These were the things that saved us during shelter in place and we kept because we loved them so much. These items helped my boys with ADHD who have an excessive amount of energy to burn. Can you relate?
Our Mondo Koosh ball and scooter board were used on an hourly basis! Zoom Ball is great for an upper body workout(and bi-lateral coordination!) and getting brothers who have been fighting to work together. The whole family has been using it.
The rainbow Puddle Jumpers are super for a quick trip outside in the yard. It takes some practice but kids will be running afterin no time!
Cooking Classes to take at home
Kids Cook Real Food Classes
Both of my kids have taken Katie Kimball’s Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and loved it. The course includes modules for ages 3 to teens. Your kids will learn skills like cutting with real knives, measuring dry and wet ingredients, and cutting and peeling fruit and veg.
Learning a skill like cooking builds confidence in kids and gets them helping out at home. Katie also shows how to cook real food, from browning meat to making salad dressing, to cooking meals. My teens are now in charge of one meal per week and are pretty darn confident in the kitchen.
Raddish Subscription Box
My tween and teen surprisingly LOVED the Raddish Subscription Cooking Box.
Maybe it’s because we’ve already taken an online cooking class with Katie Kimball.
Or maybe it’s just because the box is expertly created to engage kids of all ages in fun and yummy cooking activities.
All the work is done for you: The box contains recipe cards, tools, shopping lists, puzzles, fun facts all around a different theme each month.
This also makes a great gift. Check it out HERE.
Outdoor Energy Burning
Trampoline
There is nothing like a trampoline to get the energy out of any sized kiddo. Great for the heart and lymphatic system and just plain fun, a larger trampoline is a great investment. My kids jump on it year round, day or night. We were lucky enough to receive one like this from a friend when her kids had grown out of it. You can buy one here or check your local Craig’s List for a used version. (Make sure you see it set up first to make sure it’s in safe, working, order.)
Wham – O Track Ball
Remember this game? We found a set at a thrift store and then had to look online to find the ball. It’s fun!! and hard and takes practice. Super for crossing the midline activities, eye-hand coordination and running around after the ball. Get the kids outside with a set.
Beamo Frisbee
This big frisbee is super fun and really easy to throw. It seems to hover a bit more to give kids a chance to get under it, too, making catching it easier, too. We have the 16 ” version and they also make a 30″ one.
Foxtail
We have had a Foxtail of some sort or another for years. They are easy to throw by the tail or the head and fun to chase after wherever they land. This one is so awesome–it lights up as it sails thru the air!! What a perfect way to get outside when it gets dark at 4:30! I would not recommend this in the snow, but anything else goes!
Gifts that promote movement are great anytime of the year,and especially for ADHD kiddos who have a lot of extra energy to burn.
Purposeful work tools
Kids love to work side by side with their parents. Start young and they’ll learn the rewards of doing purposeful work! These make it easier for ADHD kids to do their chores. They kind of make chores fun, too!!
Broomswere brought by the elves for my kids about 8 years ago and were used every single day. So great for fine motor skills and crossing the midline and learning to contribute to the family.
A crumb sweeper makes cleaning the table fun!
Our mop and bucket are still used and mopping is my oldest’s favorite chore!
Books My Boys Love
We are readers in this house! My kids are constantly reading, but these are the books we have chosen to purchase and keep on our shelves for reading over and over again.
Stephen Beisty’s Cross-Sections: Castle and Man O’War
Laura Ingalls Wilder Series (We listened to the audio versions – so fun!)
Books about legos: This one and this one are favorites!
The Best Books for Reluctant Boy Readers
Art supplies to keep hands busy(even teens!)
Calligraphy Pen – Really great for practicing cursive and writing fancy thank you letters. Just the thing to write secret notes, too!!!
Markers – we’ve had many sets over the years and love these and these the most.
Wax crayons – Seriously these rectangle shaped ones are the best!! They last for years, even with a lot of use. Made of beeswax, they smell wonderful!
Paper– a good heavy white paper is a must! And the big rolls of paper are super for getting your whole body involved! Lots of cities have been created with them.
Fine Black Markers – I have to hide mine like this because my boys steal them all the time! Great for fine drawing and just feeling a bit more grown up!
Clay – This air hardening clay is great for the older set(7 and up). Model Magic is great for younger kids. This engages my kids for hours!!
Travel water color set – A very high-quality set for on the go or at home. The color is amazing!! Really great for nature journaling!
Spirograph – We have a vintage set, but the new ones are a bit more tricked out. Super for hand strength and concentration! Best for ages 5 and above.
Other things my boys love
Other things my boys loveLight Table
I found one like this at a thrift store about 7 years ago and we get so much mileage out of it!! It’s great to use in the winter when it gets dark so early. My kids love to draw on it using tracing paper. We’ve played with stacking cups, colorful shapes and clear legos also. Here is a smaller, more economical one, if you are not lucky enough to find one at the thrift store!
Fuzzy Blanket
Both of my boys are so extra-sensory and love a good fuzzy blanket. In the winter it goes undertheir weighted blanket. Sometimes it makes its way into the car and onto the sofa. This blanket has been a cape and a roof of a cushion fort, too!
Puzzles
Puzzles are so great to promote concentration and visual-spatial skills. We’ve had many over the years, but the Geography ones are the best. My kids have such a broad knowledge of world geography because of their states and continentspuzzles.
Typewriter
Check your local thrift store or Craig’s List. We got ours for about 5 bucks at Goodwill. My kids go in phases with ours, so I keep it around for when the mood strikes. So great for keyboarding practice, thank you notes, story writing, pretend play, and budding journalists. This thing is heavy and great for heavy lifting exercises, too.
A good journal
There is something so inviting about a really nice journal. Over the years we’ve had many different kids. This, this, and this one have been favorites. The journals come in the car, to waiting rooms and restaurants, on family trips, and are used to write lego instructions, and draw big plans. We keep a list of the books we’ve read in one, too.
I would love to hear what your kids most favorite, long lasting toy has been-boy or girl! Let me know in the comments or drop me a line at [emailprotected]. Happy shopping!!
Our favorite resources
We order from Amazon for convenience and the price, but I love to support smaller companies as well. These have been our faves over the years.:
The Wooden Wagon @Thewoodenwagon.com
Nova Natural @novasnatural.com
Imagine childhood @imaginechildhood.com
Don’t forget to check your local thrift store often to keep all those gently used toys out of a landfill.
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