ADHD and family outings

Going shopping, eating out, visiting a museum: with a child with ADHD, outings can quickly become stressful. Restlessness, impatience, meltdowns in public. Good preparation often makes all the difference. Here is how. A well-prepared outing can become a real shared moment of enjoyment.

Preparing in advance

Explain to the child where you are going, what will happen, how long it will last and what you expect of them. Surprises increase restlessness. These explanations reassure the child.

To find out more, see ADHD and anxiety.

Simple rules

Remind them of two or three rules before leaving, such as staying close to you and speaking quietly. These rules should be repeated simply.

The article ADHD and household rules covers this question in detail.

Short outings

Prefer short outings, suited to their attention span. A successful one-hour visit is better than an exhausting day. A short, successful outing makes you want to do it again.

This point is explained step by step in ADHD and fatigue.

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Keeping them occupied

A small game, a notebook or an object to handle helps pass the time in a restaurant or on public transport. These small tools help them wait patiently.

To go further, read our article ADHD and stress-relief objects.

A task

Giving them a task, such as finding a product in the supermarket or following the map, makes them an active participant and keeps them busy. They feel useful and valued.

We cover this point in ADHD and reward systems.