October is ADHD Awareness Month, and it presents a perfect opportunity for early childhood educators to reflect on the ways we can better support students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in our classrooms.
ADHD is one of the most
common neurodevelopmental conditions, affecting an estimated 5-10% of children.
Understanding ADHD through an inclusive lens is crucial, as it helps educators create classroom environments where all children, regardless of their abilities, can feel supported, valued, and capable of learning.
ADHD is more than occasional distractibility or high energy. It involves persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that can interfere with a child’s daily functioning.
In young children, ADHD may present as difficulty following instructions, frequent fidgeting or restlessness, interrupting peers or adults, struggling to sustain attention during classroom activities, and challenges with emotional regulation, such as frustration or meltdowns.
Recognizing these behaviors as part of a neurodevelopmental condition rather than intentional misbehavior allows educators to respond with empathy and support rather than frustration.
Even if a child has not been formally diagnosed with ADHD, every classroom includes students who struggle with attention, impulsivity, or high energy at times.
Teachers deserve access to practical strategies that help these learners thrive while maintaining a positive, inclusive classroom environment. Understanding how children with ADHD process information differently, knowing how to give directions so children actually listen, and recognizing why fidgeting can be helpful are all essential skills for educators.
If you’re ready to build these skills, IMPACT’s on-demand course,
ADHD: Strategies for Increasing Attention & Reducing Hyperactivity, is being offered at a
30% discount throughout October, making this the perfect time to expand your toolkit.
Inclusion goes beyond simply having children with ADHD participate in the classroom alongside their peers.
Inclusion means actively creating an environment where children with ADHD can fully engage and succeed. It involves intentionally adapting teaching methods and classroom environments to meet the needs of all learners.
Effective strategies for supporting children with ADHD include:
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Structured Routines: When children know what to expect and when, it reduces anxiety and impulsive behaviors.
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Visual Supports: Picture schedules, visual cues, and labeled materials are helpful for children who struggle with attention.
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Movement Opportunities: Incorporate short, purposeful movement breaks. Activities that allow children to release energy can significantly improve focus and engagement.
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Positive Reinforcement: Celebrating small successes helps children with ADHD develop confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
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Multi-sensory Instruction: Incorporate multiple senses into learning activities. Here’s how teachers might engage multiple senses while teaching the alphabet:
- Touch: Have children trace letters in sand or form them out of playdough
- Movement: Encourage children to form letters with their body or jump to letters taped on the floor
- Sight: Show colorful alphabet cards or books with pictures corresponding to each letter
- Hearing: Sing songs that emphasize the sound each letter makes
Adopting these strategies supports not only children with ADHD but all learners in the classroom.
When classrooms are predictable and built for active, hands-on learning, children are calmer, less frustrated, more focused, and better able to participate.
It is equally important to recognize the strengths children with ADHD bring to the classroom.
Many children with ADHD exhibit high levels of creativity, enthusiasm, and the ability to focus intently on topics that interest them. These strengths can be nurtured through imaginative play, open-ended art projects, hands-on problem-solving, and opportunities for peer collaboration.
Shifting the focus from limitations to strengths encourages children to develop a positive self-image and helps them build resilience in the face of challenges.
Collaboration with families and specialists is essential for effective support.
Regular communication with parents ensures that strategies used at school are reinforced at home, providing consistency that can improve outcomes for the child. Working with occupational therapists, psychologists, or the child’s
pediatrician can help teachers develop individualized strategies that meet each child’s needs.
Want to feel more confident supporting children with ADHD? Enroll in our course
ADHD: Strategies for Increasing Attention & Reducing Hyperactivity. You’ll learn how kids with ADHD process information differently, which fidgets our IMPACT team recommends, simple ways to use active seating, and how to build self-regulation skills through play.
In recognition of ADHD Awareness Month, the course is
30% off through October.
You’re here because you believe every child deserves to feel capable, included, and successful.
Don’t miss this chance to gain practical, research-based strategies you can use right away to create a classroom where all learners thrive.
- The IMPACT Team
Note: Course links and offers mentioned in this post may have changed since publication. To see what’s currently available, visit our course library.
