The National Institute of Mental Health lists symptoms of ADHD as difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity or over-activity. Using movement as a tool to enhance learning has been found to decrease behavioral episodes of children with ADD and ADHD. Some ADD and ADHD can be treated with non-pharmacologic agents such as physical activity. Perhaps teaching the elementary curriculum with specific emphasis on fundamental movements could decrease the symptoms associated with ADD and ADHD.

What Does a 2015 Study Show About the Link Between Attention Disorders (ADD and ADHD) and Movement?

• According to a 2015 study by the MIND Institute at the University of California-Davis, physical activity seems to allow children with ADHD to focus on what they are doing.
• In children with a diagnosis of ADHD, the 2015 study found:
  • Children who moved more intensely showed better cognitive performance.
  • The accuracy of children's performance on tests significantly improved when they were moving.
  • Hyperactivity in children with ADHD may help them think.

Want to learn more about the benefits of movement in the classroom to students with ADHD? Download our e-book, Move to Learn: Exploring the Benefits of Movement in the Classroom.