One of the biggest problems for people with attention deficit disorders is boredom and holiday gift time is the perfect opportunity to share new ways to stay busy and build life long skills
Gift ideas can be found in any budget, from simple board games to complex technology. Here are a few ideas that make excellent presents for someone with attention disorder or ADHD:
Board Games that Help with Attention
According to ADDitude magazine, people with ADD and ADHD have increased frustration when anticipating success and dealing with failure. Board games are an excellent way to practice the challenges that come with these frustrations. Playing games together is a great way to discuss stress and managing goals and objectives, success and failure.
Good board games for those with ADD and ADHD include:
- cards
- checkers
- chess
- chutes and ladders
- Clue
- I Spy games
- puzzles
Software for ADHD
Children and adults with ADHD can be very comfortable sitting in front of a computer for long periods of time. The amount of time and what is being played or worked on should be chosen with discretion and monitoring. There are many good educational and play software that helps build strategy and thinking skills.
There are many companies that make specific AHDHD interactive software programs. Play Attention is a high tech helmet that monitors brain waves and requires the user to use focus and concentration to control games. Their website is devoted to information and help on their interactive program.
Captain's Log Brain Training Software is another site designed specifically for ADHD.
"Regular" software games can be used for organization and skill, as long as the amount of time spent playing games is predetermined and kept to a useful minimum for the appropriate age. Suggested games would be games with real life building skills that offer consequences for not completing levels. Memory and problem solving games are great.
Shephard Software (www.shepphardsoftware.com) has free online and educational games for different age levels. The games are interactive and interesting, even for adults.
Music is a Wonderful Present for ADHD
Children and adults with ADHD can find focus in music. Music lessons are a wonderful gift idea for someone with attention disorder. It is important to find a teacher with experience or knowledge working with students who have ADHD. Consider renting an instrument initially to make sure the student and instrument are compatible.
Camera as an ADHD Gift
People with attention disorders tend to be creative. Many children and adults with ADHD enjoy taking photos. The beauty of modern cameras is that they have become easy to use and there are many designed for all ages.
A digital camera is a wonderful gift because it provides instant gratification as well as the ability to continue building a project with the photos. A photo printer and scanner and photo software are terrific companion gifts to a camera. If the person is craft-oriented as well, a photo scrapbook would be a nice addition too.
Building Sets Make Great ADHD Presents
Many skills can be enhanced with gifts that include building as a skill. Such gifts include:
- Marble Run
- I Coaster
- Hot Wheels Sets
- blocks
- dominoes
- Lego
These type of toys help with concentration, eye-hand coordination, building satisfaction in completion and can be played with over and over to build new things.
Making Gift Giving Easier with ADHD
It's helpful to keep in mind that those with ADHD have different expectations and keep a different pace than those who don't. Little extra things that are planned ahead of time can help make a holiday gathering less stressful. Whenever possible, insert batteries and assemble presents in advance before wrapping. For little ones who are always anxious to open gifts, whether they are their own or others, assign them a job in advance to be the official gift distributor or wrapping paper retriever to keep them busy during a gift exchange.
Elizabeth Richards - Elizabeth Richards has published almost 200 articles for Suite101 since 2007 as a Contributing and Feature Writer.
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