After the long dark winter months spring is slowly arriving.  As the weather gets warmer and the flowers start to bloom, it is a great idea to do some outdoor activities with your children.  Being outdoors is a great way for kids to get out their excess energy, allowing them to concentrate and focus more when indoors.

The following are some great outdoors activities in Toronto for children with ADHD

Discover New Playgrounds

Children love to play in playgrounds and unfortunately with the prevalence of electronic entertainment they don’t get to use them enough.  You can take your child to your local playground and let him run around and have some fun.  If you want an even greater adventure take them to a new playground that they’ve never been before.  Here is a great article on some of the best playgrounds in Toronto.  If you’re north of the city as the weather warms up, here is a great list of splash pads to visit.

Biking with the Family

Going for a family bike ride is a great way to spend time together while getting exercise outdoors.  You can simply bike around your local streets, visit a store for a treat, go off road through one of the forests in the GTA, or take one of the many bike paths in Toronto.  Letting your child decide where he’d like to bike to is helpful for allowing him to feel valued and excited about the place you’re going.

Hike through the Woods

Children love to explore and go on adventures.  A hike through the woods can provide hours of entertainment, education, and best of all exercise.  By making a game out of the hike you can increase the excitement for your child.  Having them try to find certain birds, trees, or interesting sticks, stones, or leaves can be a great way to hold their attention.   Giving them a camera and seeing who can get the most interesting picture is another way to make it more exciting.  Remember to pack food and bring lots of water on this type of adventure.

Play Sports in the Park

An afternoon visit to your local field to play soccer, baseball, or Frisbee is another great way to let your child get his energy out.  By allowing him to bring his friends and turning it into a larger game, you may find it easier to stay outside longer and have more fun.  Remember to bring lots of water and wear hats and sunscreen, as even though it may not be hot out, the sun’s rays can still be strong.

Trip to the Toronto Zoo

A visit to the Toronto Zoo is a full day adventure.  In spring you can go and meet the new zoo babies including giant panda cubs, polar bear cub, white lion cubs, and Indian rhino calf.  The zoo also contains over 5000 animals representing 460+ species giving your child plenty to look at.  Watching the animals run and play keeps your child’s attention and you can provide educational information to him while he’s focused and interested about the animals.  Asking questions about the animals is also a great way to spark a conversation and interest your child to learn more about these wonderful creatures.

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