Today in the Art Hub I will discuss with you a topic that is dear and near to my heart. Teaching students who have ADHD. As a mother of a 13 year old and a 6 year old who have ADHD, I understand the daunting job of teaching them anything. Introducing art to them from an early age was my goal and I have sought to make sure they know how to express their big emotions on a sheet of paper. As an Art Educators I learned a lot from my studies and through my experience with many children who have learning disabilities. But today I will not discuss strategies in the classroom to accommodate them, instead I will talk about the positive emotional impact art has on these students.

“The act of creating art is stimulating for the brain, which is important for people with ADHD. “They are stimulation seekers because [stimulation] increases the uptake of the dopamine and helps them to stay focused,” says Safran. “It’s often more helpful than cognitive therapy.”” ¹ So introducing art to ADHD children helps them with focus, some even claim that art is an alternative therapy method. It does not matter which media the teacher introduces in her class, as long as it is appropriate to the child’s needs. It can be finger painting or working on an oil painting that releases dopamine and supports the child’s focus ability.

Art therapy does not only affect focus, but it also reaches out to “tackle many of the core issues that arise from ADHD.”¹ Such core issues as learning to cope with impulsivity, decision making, sequencing, flexibility, and social skills, and can help boost self-esteem too. From my experience with my children, I managed their early emotional outbursts with a lot of art-making sessions. I would get them art supplies and paint and we would work on a project together. Coloring and drawing simple shapes and cutting them not only releases their overflowing energy, it helps with hand-eye coordination and as I mentioned earlier, their focus.

At the end of this blog post, I would like readers to enhance this experience by posting your own take on ADHD and art therapy as well as open up a discussion on what worked for you as a parent or an educator.

See you soon on more topics on Art Education on The Art Hub.

1- Rodriguez, Diana, et al. “Art Therapy for ADHD: Everyday Health.” EverydayHealth.com, https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/art-therapy-adhd/.