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!

Board games and role playing games like dungeons and dragons.
They are like video games but in person. Also larping.

This. You have to add risk and reward. Rock climbing, martial arts. Anything seeming slightly dangerous and individual so there's no rejection sensitivity.

Also music because I swear it resets their brains.

Boxing.

ADHD sensory seekers will hunt out the feedback from hitting things hard.

Drums. Sensory feedback

Swimming, scouts, kayaking or paddle boarding if you live near a river or in local leisure center if you don't - there are many clubs and most will take kids as long as they can swim. Climbing or martial arts also good options.

Photography?

I know the idea is to get him off screens and that's important, but with mine (ASD) I got him into programming. If he wanted to be on a screen beyond one hour a day then he needed to be learning something on there. If he is interested then start with Scratch, it's free and he may already do it at school - then at Secondary age he can move onto Python. There are loads of free websites to learn. DS used to make us animated birthday cards in Scratch at that age, now he's working as a software engineer.

I don’t have many new ideas but I am just jumping on to hear other people’s! Me and hyperactive ADHD DS go running together. We also have various things in the house (wobble board, mini trampoline) for managing his energy.

Crochet! I found it a really good hobby as someone with ADHD, because it works up quickly and feels useful as well as fun. I find the visibility of progress is important because it keeps you focused by giving the reward system in your brain good feedback. I also use it to make things like scarves, hats, fingerless gloves, and blankets in colours, styles and textures that I like, which I can't always find very easily in shops. I usually have an audiobook, audio essay or audio drama playing while I crochet, but I've found it to be a really positive hobby and I hope your DS might find it the same!

Climbing is really good for ADHD. It's meditative and requires hyper focus at types.

Our local climbing wall is very friendly to anyone neurotypical - a good number of the staff are themselves and I know this is generally true of climbers.

It's easy to find climbing walls now and most do kids clubs of some sort.

If you've got a good, inclusive rugby club near you, then mini rugby might be a good one to try. Of all the sports my DS did at that age, it was the mini rugby coaches who seemed to most "get" his friend with ADHD.

Ds with adhd who is a gamer plays drums. He manages to get Fortnite into almost every single conversation he has with anyone. Drives me nuts. He also plays tennis and swims and talks about gaming whenever he’s doing anything. He doesn’t actually game very often but makes up for that with the constant chat about gaming.

What about a Sailability group? They take children and adults with any disability or special needs.
www.rya.org.uk/about-us/our-programmes/sailability/find-the-right-venue/

my adhd ds loves learning the guitar, climbing and wants to start boxing.

If the only sport is football, then adding a couple of extra something active a week would be a really positive move.

DD has ASD/ADHD:

She did Scouts for 8 years, most are very inclusive in their groups.
She rode (horses are amazing for ND but it's a very expensive hobby), dance, drama and did Taekwondo for a while. That also helped to center her.

Scouts
Swimming
Drums
Water sports (sailing, rowing etc - will need to be a strong swimmer first)
Individual sports - trampolining, tri-athlon, climbing, gymnastics, etc
Drama / Musical theatre

Scouts

My soon has ADHD and music has been therapeutic for him. His hyper focus means he’s become an amazing metal guitarist!

Bit young now, but from around 12, local gym.

Lego, taekwondo, trampolining.

Would he build small planes? Not to fly haha the craft ones I have forgotten the name. Hubby just said Airfix!

The posters saying that screens are therapeutic for ND children - this is disappointing.

please look into “grow now ADHD” by Michael McLeod. ND children are being harmed by screens. Take care x

Archery

I think part of the reason "screen" hobbies are considered therapeutic in some cases is less to do with the screens and more the setting; it's usually something you do at home, by yourself, in comfortable clothes. Gaming doesn't have all the additional steps of getting ready, setting up, and packing up afterwards, which all add up when you struggle with executive functioning and often make more involved hobbies feel difficult and chore-like no matter how fun the actual activity is.

That's why I recommend things like model-making, Lego, crochet, sculpting with air-dry clay, and puzzles or puzzle books as well as my previous suggestion of crochet. Anything with minimal set-up. It can be difficult to replace gaming or video-watching with something more involved, so I think finding something equally low-key and accessible is really important if you want to successfully replace screen-based hobbies.