Finding ADHD Friendly Gifts for the Holidays

As the holiday season nears, many people struggle with finding those “perfect gifts” for their children, and parents of children with ADHD are no exception. The National Resource Center’s webpage Parenting Children and Teens links to the Toys’R’Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, offering the Top Ten Tips for Buying Toys for children who have disabilities and disorders such as ADHD. The list was prepared by the Lekotec Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making play accessible for children with disabilities. When searching for toys, the guide offers the following advice: Toy should have Multi Sensory appeal. The method of activation should not be too difficult for the child Consider where and how the toy will be used. Can it be used in a variety of positions, such as sitting down, laying down, on a wheelchair tray, etc.? Can the toy be used in a variety of ways, with no defined right or wrong way to play? Is the toy in line with current trends so the child will not feel different from peers? Does the toy allow the child opportunities to be creative and expressive? Is the toy adjustable for appropriate levels of height, sound, speed and difficulty if needed? Is the toy developmentally appropriate and does it reflect the child’s interests and age? Is the toy durable and safe for the child? Is the toy interactive and will it foster social interaction with others? The Toys’R’Us guide follows the Lekotec information with a listing of current toys and lists which areas each toy is of benefit. There are different colored icons that cover such areas as auditory, language, gross motor and visual development. Books can be another practical gift for children with ADHD. The Staff of the National Resource Center on AD/HD has produced list of child-friendly books about ADHD. All of the titles aim to explain the diagnosis of ADHD, and describe the symptoms of the disorder using language that children and teens can easily understand. However, the NRC “Staff Favorites” book list contains only a small sampling of titles available that explore the diagnosis of ADHD in children. Many more titles like the ones on our list can be found by searching in the CHADD bookstore. A final point to consider is to make certain that a gift for a child with ADHD is not vastly different from a gift for any other child so as to avoid stigma. But above all else, when shopping for the perfect gift for the child with ADHD keep in mind that you are not trying to find the best gift for a child with ADHD, you are trying to find the perfect gift for that child.

National Resource Center on AD/HD: A Program of CHADD

To view this and other information regarding ADHD online visit here.