4 Fun Sports for Kids With Attention Issues

Team sports aren’t always the best for kids with attention issues. Especially sports with lots of rules and strategies to remember. But kids’ interests matter, too. See what these sports have to offer.

Wrestling

Wrestling has advantages beyond just learning technique. As kids are mastering different moves, they’re also learning discipline and how to stay on task. While it’s a team sport, wrestling doesn’t require teamwork. The actual competition is one-on-one. And the matches are over quickly, so kids don’t have to hold their focus for long.

Basketball

For a kid who loves basketball, this can be a good choice for a team sport. The rules aren’t as complicated as they are in other sports. Players are constantly moving, so there’s less chance of being distracted. Even if team sports seem like a real challenge, don’t automatically rule it out. The love of the game can be a deciding factor in whether a kid succeeds at it.

Swimming

Michael Phelps is a great role model for kids with attention issues who dream of winning gold. Phelps won 22 Olympic medals despite having attention issues and hyperactivity. It’s not surprising that swimming was a great sport for him. It requires intense concentration and energy. And there are few outside distractions when you’re in the water focusing on your speed.

Track and Field

Track is an ideal marriage of individual and team sport. Kids only need to compete with themselves and their best performance. But there are teammates to hang out with in between races, so there’s opportunity to stretch social muscles, too. Plus, there are no real rules to remember or lengthy instructions to focus on. Just the runners in front of you and the finish line at the end!