Routines for your child with ADHD

Why are ADHD routines good for children and teenagers?

Routines are good for children and teenagers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because they help them get things done each day. They’re also good for health, development and wellbeing in childhood and adolescence.

For example, ADHD routines help children and teenagers remember, focus on and complete everyday tasks that they might forget or find boring or overwhelming. These might be tasks like:

eating regularly or doing physical activity
taking medicine or brushing teeth
getting up and going to bed on time
getting to appointments, school or sport on time
doing homework or chores
moving between activities, like finishing a game and getting ready for dinner.

ADHD routines might also help children and teenagers:

manage energy levels and tiredness, which is good for managing emotions
build organisational skills, which is good for developing independence
feel more confident about managing daily life, which is good for self-esteem and self-worth
contribute to the smooth running of family life, which is good for family organisation and relationships.

What makes a good routine?

A good routine is one that suits your child and you and makes daily life easier.

Effective routines also generally share these key features:

Well planned – good routines have steps that have been thought through and that suit your child and family.
Clear – in a good routine, everyone in the family understands their role and knows what they need to do.
Regular – good routines become part of everyday family life.
Predictable – in a good routine, things happen in the same order each time.

The best ADHD routines for your child are suited to their age, independence level and individual needs. Your child’s routines might be simple – for example, setting an alarm at night to help them get up for school in the morning. Or the routines might be more complex – for example, working through steps to get ready for school.

ADHD routine charts

You and your child with ADHD can make routines for many parts of their daily life.

It often helps to put the steps in your child’s routines on routine charts. A routine chart can include pictures of each step, and you can display it somewhere your child can see it.

Here are ideas and examples for ADHD routine charts.

School-age children

If your child is aged 5-12 years, you could have routines for:

getting ready in the morning and going to bed at night
calming down before after-school activities like hobbies or sport
doing chores like setting the dinner table, unpacking the dishwasher or caring for pets
doing homework.

For example, here’s an ADHD bedtime routine:

6 pm – have a shower and put on pyjamas.
6.30 pm – enjoy a calming activity like listening to music or drawing.
6.45 pm – brush teeth, and go to the toilet.
7 pm – read a book for 30 minutes and then turn out the light.

Teenagers

If your ADHD child is aged 12-18 years, you could have routines for:

winding down after school and getting to and from after-school activities
doing homework
loading the washing machine, making beds and cleaning rooms
taking medicine
spending time with the family
relaxing before bed.

For example, here’s an ADHD homework routine:

5.30 pm – sit at the desk, clear the space and remove distractions.
5.35 pm – check diary for key tasks, set timer and do homework for 20 minutes.
5.55 pm – have a movement break.
6 pm – repeat the steps above.

Eight tips to help your child stick with ADHD routines

The more your child uses their ADHD routines, the easier it will become for them. But your child might still sometimes need your help to remember and stick to their routines. They might also need help to plan and learn new routines.

Here are things you can do to help.

1. Involve your child

It’s good to involve your child in creating or changing routines. For example, you can let them choose what steps to include or what order to put them in.

2. Make sure routines are simple and specific

Your child is more likely to follow routines if the steps are simple and specific. Try to limit routines to a maximum of 7 steps.

3. Use reminders or alarms

You can encourage your child to set reminders or alarms that help them know when to start their routines. This can help your child start their routines independently.

4. Use visual schedules and checklists

Visual schedules and checklists can help your child remember and keep track of the steps in their routines. The visual schedule could have simple pictures and short descriptions like ‘6.45 pm – have a shower’. Older children and teenagers might enjoy using an electronic visual schedule.

5. ‘Scaffold’ routines

This means giving plenty of help early on and gradually reducing your help as your child gains confidence. For example, you might start by working through and ticking off steps together with your child. Eventually you can encourage your child to do the steps by themselves.

6. Review routines

Check in regularly with your child to see how routines are going. You can talk about whether a routine is helping your child and what to do if it’s not. For example, is the routine helping your child to pack their school bag in time for school or are they running out of time? If they’re running out of time, they might need to start the routine earlier.

7. Introduce only one routine at a time

Learning too many things at once can be overwhelming. Make sure your child is comfortable with one routine before introducing another.

8. Use praise, encouragement and rewards

Praise and encouragement can keep your child motivated and help them feel good about their routine. Also, a rewards chart might help your child to see the progress they’re making. Whether you use praise, encouragement or rewards, it’s best to focus on your child’s effort, rather than whether they’ve stuck to or completed the routine.

How to change ADHD routines

Sometimes you might need to change your child’s ADHD routines. This might be when your child’s needs have changed – for example, they’ve started at a new school or are trying a new extracurricular activity. Or it might be because a routine is no longer helping them or they’ve learned how to do the task without it.

These tips can help:

Prepare your child. If possible, let your child know in advance when there will be changes to a routine. Give your child a chance to ask questions and provide input.
Talk with your child. Get your child’s input on why and how to adjust a routine. For example, if the routine is too complicated, your child might prefer fewer steps. If your child has sensory issues that make parts of the routine difficult, they could change where or when they do the routine.
Refresh routines. If a routine has become boring and your child has lost motivation, change the timing or order of steps. Or you could turn the routine into a game like Beat the buzzer.
Consider stopping a routine altogether if it isn’t helping your child or they’ve mastered it.

There might be times when your child’s routines will be slightly different – for example, if they’re on school camp, on holidays or at a playdate or sleepover. In these situations, you could make a special ADHD routine chart or visual schedule so your child knows what to expect. It can also help to share information about your child’s ADHD routines with other important people in their life.

Getting help with ADHD routines

There are many people who can help your child with ADHD routines. These people include GPs, paediatricians, occupational therapists and psychologists.

Teachers and other support staff might be able to help with school-related routines.