Engaging OT Exercises for Children with ADHD at School

Children with ADHD often face challenges in staying focused, regulating energy, maintaining organization, and following through in classroom settings. Occupational Therapy (OT) can help by incorporating fun, meaningful, and actionable exercises into the school day. These activities support attention, self-regulation, executive functioning, sensory processing, and motor coordination—all in ways that feel engaging rather than like extra work.

 

Why OT Exercises Help

• They build self-regulation: helping students notice when they’re getting restless and use tools to shift back toward calm and focused.
• They improve sensory integration: managing how the child reacts to sights, sounds, touch, movement, etc., so they can stay attentive rather than overwhelmed or under-alert.
• They strengthen executive functioning: planning, prioritizing, shifting between tasks, initiating work, sustaining effort.
• They make transitions smoother, reduce behavioral outbursts or distractions, and help the child feel more in control.

 

What Makes an OT Exercise Engaging at School

To be effective in school, OT exercises should:

• Be short and simple (e.g. 2-5 minutes) to fit between lessons or before the next subject.
• Include movement or physical engagement (gross motor or sensory) to help release energy or reset attention.
• Offer choices so students feel some ownership (for example, which movement break to do).
• Use visual or auditory cues so the child knows what to expect.
• Be embedded in the classroom routine so they’re predictable and not seen as “extra work” or a punishment.

Examples of OT Exercises to Try in School

Here are concrete, school-friendly OT exercises. Some are done individually, others in small groups, some during transitions or breaks.

Goal / Need	Exercise Idea	How to Use in School
Calming / Sensory Reset	Heavy work breaks (push/pull tasks, wall push-ups, carrying books, resistance bands)	Before a focal task or after recess to ground the body and reduce fidgetiness.
Movement + Focus	Jumping jacks or mini-trampoline	Use in transitions (e.g. after lunch or class change), also as “brain breaks.”
Cross-body / Bilateral Coordination	Animal walks (bear crawl, crab walk), “Simon Says” with cross-body movements	These engage both sides of the body and help with attention and coordination.
Visual / Auditory Attention	Memory games (cards, matching), “I spy” style with details in the room	Can be done seated, during calm time, or when waiting (e.g. waiting for others).
Fine Motor Breaks	Playdough, theraputty, squeezing stress balls, manipulating clothespins, beads	Useful for children who fidget with their hands; build hand strength and calm.
Proprioceptive Input	Wall push-ups, chair push-downs, carrying weighted backpacks / books	Helps sensory system feel more regulated; possibly during transitions.
Visual Schedules / Timers	Use visual timers, task timers; checklists for steps in an activity or project	Helps with time blindness, knowing how long tasks take.
Emotion / Impulse Regulation	Deep breathing exercises, calming corners, guided imagery	Social-emotional check-ins: stop, rate how you feel, then choose a calming tool.
Task Initiation & Organization	Break down multi-step tasks into smaller parts; use cue cards; assign peer or teacher check-ins	For example, before starting work, walk through 3 steps: gather materials → review instructions → begin first step.

 

Integrating OT Exercises into the School Day

To make these exercises stick and really help, schools/OTs/teachers can:

1. Collaborate with teachers, special educators, and the OT to plan when and how these exercises are used. Consistency counts.
2. Build them into transitions: moving between subjects, before or after lunch, or after recess are natural times.
3. Use reminders and cues: visual charts, timers, verbal prompts.
4. Provide a toolkit of options: so students can choose what works best for their mood or sensory state.
5. Monitor & adjust: see what’s helping, which exercises produce better focus or fewer breaks, and refine.

Challenges & Tips

• Some students may resist movement breaks if they feel it draws attention; discrete options (under-desk bands, fidgets) help.
• Overstimulating exercises may backfire; select sensory inputs carefully.
• Time constraints in school can make it hard; start small (once or twice a day) and build.
• Ensure buy-in from the student: explain why you’re doing the exercise (to help them feel more in control, less frustrated) so it doesn’t feel like extra work or punishment.

 

What the Research & OT Practice Say

• OTs often use environmental modification (seating, lighting, reducing distractions) plus sensory tools & movement breaks to support attention.
• Use of visual supports (charts, schedules), timers, checklists, and externalizing planning helps children with ADHD organize school work and reduce anxiety.
• Incorporating whole-body movement (heavy work, gross motor) helps regulate energy and sensory needs which in turn can improve focus and behavior.

 

Sample Daily Plan for School Using OT Exercises

Here’s a sample schedule showing how OT exercises might be woven in through a school day.

Time	Activity / Transition	OT Exercise / Strategy
Morning arrival	Transition from bus / car to classroom	2 minutes wall push-ups + timer to unpack + visual schedule overview of day
Mid-morning break	After first class or before snack	Movement break: jumping jacks or walking laps + stretch
Just before lunch	Classroom settled for lunch	Deep breathing + carry books/water to lunch table (heavy work)
After lunch / return	Transition from lunch back to class	Use visual timer + brief sensory break (squeezing putty or fidget)
Afternoon slump	Around mid-afternoon when attention dips	Mini animal walk or walking pattern, bilateral hand tasks
End of day	Before packing up / homework prep	Review checklist of what to pack, use visual schedule, choose calm down tool if needed

 

Conclusion

For children with ADHD, school isn’t just about learning academics—it’s also about learning how to manage energy, stay organized, and stay regulated in a challenging environment. Occupational Therapy offers tools and exercises that are fun, flexible, and powerful. By integrating short movement breaks, sensory tools, visual cues, and student choice, schools can help students not only focus better, but feel more in control, calmer, and more successful in their day.