Non screen based hobby idea for ADHD 10 year old boy?

[Boyyyy]

DS (10) has adhd is absolutely obsessed with screens (tv and video games). I limit his access to them because it wouldn’t be healthy for him to use them as much as he’d like to! But he has no hobbies, all he does is talk about screen time (video games). He will still play with toys, but almost reluctantly and whines a lot about wanting to be on a screen.

I have adhd (genetics!) and loved my hobbies and still do. None of them were screen-based. So I’d like to help him find an activity one evening a week that he’ll hopefully love.

Any ideas? I’m going to give him a list of things to help inspire him. So far I’ve got the basics: drama, learning an instrument, gymnastics (he doesn’t stop moving), a racquet sport.

He already does football with friends on Saturday afternoons, so that doesn’t need to be on the list! He quite likes it but doesn’t want more of it and often complains about going.

Please give me some suggestions!

Some kind of martial art. It not only gets the energy out, but helps with core strength and, most importantly, self control.

Swimming
then he can’t talk!

Scouts
Running (would he prefer Parkrun to football?)

Swimming? Clubs often have multiple sessions a week so would keep him busy.
Otherwise climbing, Lego, cadets or sailing?

Haha that made me laugh!!

Ooh climbing!! Great idea for him!

Screen based activities can be therapeutic for ND people, so don't write them off. Instead of video games, look into computer games instead. They tend to be more cerebral and constructive. Ds1 had adhd/pda and couldn't tolerate playing with toys and they used to agitate him. In desperation I introduced him to some easy computer games appropriate for his age and he never looked back.

He used to play things like Theme Hospital, Rollercoaster Tycoon, School Tycoon, a prison building one etc. He then moved onto historical battle ones as he got older. He never played stuff like GTA or vacuous racing or shoot em up ones. We didn't have a games console until he was much older. If you do your research and are selective - perhaps go down the older games route as well as they were quality games - then there's no reason why he shouldn't have screen time.

Look into cadets once he's old enough as well.

I remember loving roller blading and cycling at that age.
How about comic books? Is he artistic at all?

My ADHD dc, loves art work. My other loves Lego. Crucially they will only focus on them if they are listening to audiobooks which I do not limit.

They also do activities as above but not everything can be outside the home.

He’s not artistic (ie:drawing) but very artistic with his imagination - making up worlds etc. But maybe he’d enjoy making up comic books! He loves to read them and manga.

Stop motion animation..he'd need a screen but you can lock it down so only the functions he needs for it are allowed.

Haha I can personally relate to that - I do one of my art hobbies listening to audiobooks / podcasts! Otherwise my attention very quickly wanders.

Perhaps I should casually play an audiobook I think he’ll like when he’s stuck into a project next…

My dc hook onto what I listen to (I listen on headphones when it's not appropriate). They are very up to speed with middle aged radio comedy shows for example.

Parkour/ free running.

You can't just assume they will choose non-screens though. You have to actively restrict it. Screens are designed to be distracting and addictive.

Karate or other martial art. Uses energy and teaches good discipline. Also has the advantage of teaching him good life skills.

My older boys do: guitar, gardening, cooking, lego, martial arts, Dungeons & Dragons, going to the gym.

Geocaching uses an app and needs a phone for GPS location, but it's a bit like a treasure hunt so gets people outdoors. Some of the caches are puzzle based so you need to solve the clues to find the cache. Gets you out and about in your local area, or you can do them on holiday or a day out etc. It would involve oyu and/or the rest of the family though...

Geocaching

I prefer using the c:geo app rather than the official one, but that's down to personal choice

I definitely don’t assume - and very much restrict!

My similar 10yr old likes painting Warhammer and building/rebuilding Lego. And boxing.

Lego?

It's always been a good hobby for me and my ADHD brain, as a kid and still is now.

I've got a subscription with Brickborrow these days. Pick a set, they send it to you, you build it, take it apart and send it back, and once they've received it you can pick another one. Think I'm paying about £25 a month and it fills a good 6 evenings a month for me

Dungeons and Dragons, as already suggested.
Chess

Owner of a nearly 9 year old AuDHD boy! He has been doing gymnastics for 4 years and loves it! Along a similar vein trampolining?

My sob loves building with Lego too. I’m also looking into him doing cubs.

My friend's ADHD son LOVED climbing. Honestly, it changed all their lives.

Mine does swimming and scouts.