Hyperactive kids? 6 easy ways suggested by experienced parents

Boundless vigour, curiosity and enthusiasm — life with an over-energetic child can be wonderful, yet exhausting. Thankfully, even without a formal hyperactivity diagnosis, parents and caregivers can adopt some simple, supportive strategies and habits to make this journey a more rewarding experience for both parties.

Set a daily routine

This helps everyone, regardless of age or energy level; for someone with uncontained vigour, perhaps a bit more so.

"It took me some time to ensure routine and stick to it," mentioned Misha Rahman, mother to a 5-year-old boy. "Within a few months of religiously following it, I feel like the struggle is much less now with my son's bedtime and homework time."

With just a bit of effort, parents can ensure consistent bedtimes, wake-up times and mealtimes. This brings predictability into their lives and automatically trains their brains to transition smoothly from one task to another with minimal effort.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Encourage calm sit-down activities

Colouring, painting and playing board games can all encourage sitting still for reasonable periods. In addition to the obvious benefits, such as encouraging creativity, colouring, and board games, they can also help children with problem-solving, focus, and perseverance.

"My daughter surprises me by sitting through an entire board game of Ludo," laughed Nishat Alam, mother of an 8-year-old. "It's the one time I see her calmer and more focused than usual."

Try a simple reward system

Consider an earned reward system. Offer stickers for easy chores such as packing up their own school bags, brushing teeth and wearing clothes without getting distracted. Set a reward at the end of the week — the higher the number of stars, the bigger (reasonably) the reward.

"I keep a star chart on the fridge," said Farzana Karim, mother to a 6-year-old. "By Friday, my son is so excited to see how many he has earned. Sometimes the reward is just an ice cream treat, but it works wonders."

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Give timely warnings before transitions

For an energetic child who jumps from task to task in seconds, you will be surprised to know how difficult it is to get them to come away from something they are enjoying. Sound off warnings from time to time to prepare them to finish one task and move to another with ease.

"I tell my son he has 10 more minutes on the swings, then 5 and then 2," said mother and entrepreneur, Mahira Bashir. "This mentally prepares my son, and I feel like he throws fewer tantrums when it's time to leave."

Break tasks into smaller parts

Break up larger tasks into smaller ones in order to make it easier for the child to complete them. It is important to recognise the need for energetic children to jump around and expend some energy before moving on, and it may be wise to allow them a break to do so.

"My daughter would take one look at her homework and run off to the other room to hide," shared Saad Ahmed, father of a feisty 6-year-old. "Later, I decided I would make her do 3 sums, and give her 5 minutes to jump around."

Saad mentions that incrementally increasing the sit-down time while still incorporating small breaks helped his daughter focus better. "It went from a literal war zone to neutral in a month!"

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Make grounding techniques fun

Many parents feel that grounding techniques are the same as breathing exercises, and it is too "boring" for restless children to follow through. However, grounding exercises could be fun too, and need not involve regulated breath work at all.

"I play 'I spy' with my niece all the time," confided Arima Sumat, loving aunt to a 7-year-old and a Kindergarten teacher. "She thinks it's a game, but it helps her calm down and notice things around her."

Other games, such as "Five Things You Can See" or "Four Things You Can Hear," can also work equally well.