Living with a hyperactive child can be a challenge. You're constantly having to find new ways to engage him in meaningful activities, just so he doesn't get up to mischief. You have to find a thousand and one more activities to satisfy his/her desire to move. But have you ever wondered which sport is best for your hyperactive tornado?

Sport is one of the best ways to vent and channel his inexhaustible energy in the right direction. During sports, the child's motor nerve cells are stimulated and a nerve impulse is transmitted to the neurons responsible for his attention. This activates the child's attention effectively and efficiently. Thus, playing sports helps the child to be more attentive in everything he does.

The brain is the organ that consumes the most oxygen. When your baby is active in sports, his heart rate will increase and his breathing will speed up, allowing his muscles and brain to become better oxygenated. When the brain gets all the oxygen it needs to function properly, the tornado will suddenly be more alert and efficient.

In order for exercise to have a positive effect on improving his concentration and attention in the long term, it must occur regularly. A regular frequency of sporting activity is therefore necessary.

What sport for a hyperactive child to choose?

Hyperactivity makes your child special, and this requires your help to live a normal and fulfilling life. To improve concentration, you can go for walks together or to the playground to play ball games. However, if you want him to join in sports activities with his peers, watch out.

Think about the fact that team sports like football, basketbal, floorball etc. often create a tendency to create too much excitement, which leads to the expression of a lot of emotions that the child may not be able to handle. So does judo. Here, the child may have trouble coping with direct contact with friends, which can have a negative impact on him or her, putting him or her in a state of frustration and tension. His/her behaviour during a given inappropriate sporting activity (excessive expression of emotion, aggression, feelings of failure) may cause the coach/teacher to withdraw him/her from the activity or his/her peers to not want to play with him/her. This will cause feelings of anxiety, anger and, in extreme cases, a dislike of sport itself. Which is the last thing you want to induce in a child with ADHD.

Make the right decision

Instead of team sport, choose individual sport. Allow him to interact with other peers without having to play with or against them. Allow him/her to try out the sport before enrolling him/her in an extra-curricular sporting activity. This will give you a better chance to determine which sport is really suitable for him/her.

So what sports are recommended for hyperactive children?

Cycling and horse riding - Riding a bike or a horse gives a feeling of freedom, it will help your child to get rid of all the stress they accumulate during the day.

Athletics - This represents a range of disciplines, from teamwork to individual work. Athletics will allow him to release excess energy and improve his physical abilities. He will learn endurance and concentration.

Furthermore, for example tennis or swimming.

The list is certainly not exhaustive. You may find that you can find a more interesting and suitable sport for your child, but always remember that the goal is not to make them a professional athlete who will take home medals, but to motivate them to play sports in a way that has a positive effect on their concentration and focus. Build each sporting competition for him to have a fun time. You know it's not important to win...