From study tips to everyday practice: supporting children with ADHD in ECEC

A SnappyWords article on study strategies for students with ADHD offers ideas such as visual reminders and predictable routines. In early childhood education and care (ECEC), these ideas need to be adapted for play-based learning and each child’s circumstances.

Strategies often recommended for school students with ADHD can offer useful prompts for educators, but they need to be adapted for play-based learning and each child’s circumstances.

Advice for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) commonly recommends breaking tasks into steps, using visual reminders and establishing predictable routines. In early childhood education and care (ECEC), those ideas are most useful when they help educators remove barriers to a child’s participation in play, relationships and daily experiences.

There is no single approach that works for every child with ADHD. Educators can begin by observing when a child is engaged, when participation becomes difficult and what changes to the environment or adult support make a difference. Australian Government guidance describes inclusion as enabling children to access ECEC, participate meaningfully and experience positive outcomes.

A long instruction can be difficult to follow while a group is moving between activities. An educator might give one clear step, demonstrate it, then offer the next. Pictures can help a child see the sequence for packing away, preparing for lunch or joining an experience.

Australian child development guidance identifies short instructions, modelling and visual support as ways to help children with ADHD or other additional needs learn skills. The point is to make a task more accessible, while giving the child room to build independence over time. 

A picture-based daily routine or a reminder before a transition can help a child know what is coming next. Educators can also consider how much time a transition allows and whether a child needs an adult alongside them to get started.

Predictability does not require every child to participate in exactly the same way. An educator might offer a choice of where to begin, incorporate a child’s interests or adjust an experience so movement is possible. These decisions are best guided by what educators learn about the individual child. 

When a child finds an experience difficult, it can help to examine the setting as well as the task. Noise, competing activities, unclear expectations or a lengthy wait may affect participation. A quieter space, a clearer starting point or a different way to join in might help.

Educators can discuss these observations with families and, where relevant, other professionals supporting the child. Families may share approaches that work at home; educators can explain what they are seeing at the service. Together, they can decide what to try and review whether it helps.

For service leaders, the Australian Government’s Inclusion Ready Toolkit offers a way to reflect on inclusive practice across the service. The Inclusion Support Program can also help eligible services address barriers to children’s participation. 

School study advice can be a starting point for reflection, including in outside school hours care. In early childhood settings, its value lies in adapting practical ideas to the child and the setting, then noticing whether those changes help the child belong, participate and learn.