Minecraft for Kids with ADHD
I found Shane’s lessons really inspiring and it made me wish that my son’s school would adopt a similar curriculum. On a personal note, my son has ADHD, so school is often challenging for him. He is very active and has trouble sitting still and focusing, except when he’s playing Minecraft. This made me wonder about Minecraft for children with ADHD.
I found an interesting blog post by a fellow parent of a son with ADHD who plays Minecraft with his son and sets up small tasks to help deal with some of the challenges that children with ADHD face related to executive functioning. I think it’s an interesting approach and definitely want to try out some of the ideas with my son. As I have mentioned, there seems to be something about Minecraft that helps him focus and sustain attention. I’m not sure if the movement in the game helps satisfy some of his need for movement, but he is able to sit and focus for much longer periods playing Minecraft than doing other things like reading or homework or even legos.
In researching Minecraft and ADHD, I also found this study being conducted from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy looking for children with ADHD who play Minecraft to participate in their study. So apparently this is something that is being noticed by behavioral health professionals.
On the other hand, there are some negative articles out there about Minecraft and ADHD. Some warn of Minecraft addiction and tantrums associated when it’s time to stop playing. This sometimes happens with my son, however not just with Minecraft, it can be stopping anything he enjoys doing. So, at this point I see more positives than negatives to his play. I love the creativity it allows him and how interested and engaged he is.
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