The Best ADHD Planner for Homeschool Organization
Published:
July 11, 2024
Contributor:
Sarah Shelton
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Do you have a child with ADHD that needs help with their homeschool organization? Let’s take a look at the best ADHD planner choices for your student and how to help them with organization skills.
Best ADHD Planner Choices for Homeschool Organization
I have been homeschooling for over 20 years. It wasn’t until my second oldest began dual enrollment at our local college that I realized that she may have ADHD. In females, the hyperactivity portion of ADHD is not normally prevalent, and it can be harder to diagnose.
We didn’t realize until she was about to leave for college that she really struggles with ADHD brain and I had her formally diagnosed. I am so thankful that I homeschooled her for her entire life and gave her the best possible education for her unique needs.
Now that she is out on her own, there have been a lot of struggles that she is having to overcome. Just the normal tasks that you do in daily life can become a challenge. The biggest struggle is the need to stay focused and organized and not forget due dates for assignments.
Resource?
Scroll to the bottom of this post to find out how to get the ADHD Planner for Kids.
What is ADHD?
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A person with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, impulsivity, and self-control. It is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder that can be a real challenge for children and adults.
It is more commonly diagnosed with boys than girls. Most girls don’t have the hyperactivity part and struggle with focus and attention. Many girls can suffer from it for a much longer time without knowing that is what they have.
What are the benefits of a planner for ADHD?
A planner can be a powerful tool to help with the challenges of ADHD, especially when you homeschool. Children thrive on routine, especially those with ADHD. If a routine is thrown off, important deadlines may be missed, and simple tasks may be forgotten.
Using a planner will help your child to get into a routine of writing things down and checking them on a regular basis. Believe me, it makes a huge difference! This is a very important thing to get them used to doing, before they are out of the house and on their own.
A planner helps with time management skills, reminders, clearer goals, reduced stress and increased motivation. It will help your child to get into a good routine of checking what they need to do each day and teach them to make lists.
Digital Planner or Paper Planner
Digital Planners or even using a Google Calendar on your computer or phone, can be a great convenience. They are easy to access on different devices and are easy to access on the go. They can be a little overwhelming to first get set up, but they do work great for visual learners.
Some popular digital planners for ADHD are:
Tiimo App – This app was designed specifically for neurodivergent brains and designed by people with dyslexia and ADHD that learn better in a visual way. It is a valuable tool to help you remember daily tasks and stay organized.
My Homework Student Planner – This free app has a calendar to track your assignments, exams, and other important dates.
Paper planners provide a tactile planning experience. The act of physically writing things down can improve memory retention and cognitive processing. Using a physical planner will help to make it easier to stay organized and focused.
The best planner to choose is the one you will actually use! You can try our printed version that can be used over and over again, or create your own bullet journal, or use a free app on your phone.
How to Use a Planner with ADHD
Sometimes just the thought of getting started using a planner an be overwhelming. This is why I introduce planners to my kids when they begin writing and reading.
For people with ADHD it is important to start small when you are getting into planning and work your way into the habit of using and checking your planner.
Choose a planner that works for you – Make sure that the planner you are using is one that you and your child will enjoy using and actually use. You may need to try out a few different ones to see what the best fit is.
Start with small tasks – Starting with smaller tasks like writing out a daily to-do list and then checking it off each day will help it not seem as daunting. Trying to plan out the whole school year at one time may not be the best option.
Weekly Planner – Start slowly by practicing with filling in a weekly planner once a week, instead of a full monthly planner. Once your child is successful with planning a day at a time, and a week at a time, you can move on to monthly planning.
Time Blocks – Sit with your children and help them to break your days down into time blocks for different school and house related tasks that need to get done. Make sure to add a time block for checking the planner as well.
Refer to the planner regularly – Get in the habit of checking the planner first thing in the morning, in the middle of the day and towards the end of the day. This will ensure you are staying on task and not forgetting things.
ADHD Friendly Organizing Tips
- Always write in pencil – Things can change quite often, and you may find yourself erasing things a lot. This is why it is a good idea to write in pencil, or use an erasable pen.
- Use sticky notes – Sticky notes are great for visual learners. Use bright colors and place them with written reminders at places that you loo at often.
- Pomodoro Technique – This fun time management technique splits yours day into blocks of time for focused work and short breaks. It is a simple system that works really well to help yourself or a family member complete tasks when you are homeschooling.
- Use a white board – Hang a large white board in your school area to write out your daily schedule and your to-do list or reminders. This is great for visual learners to see the big picture of what needs to be done and you can’t misplace it!
- Use color-coding – Color coding is a great way to distinguish between tasks. Use different colors of pens, markers, or sticky notes for chores, school work or assignments.
- Set reminders on your phone. Add important events, appointments, and deadlines to the calendar on your phone. You can set it to send you an alarm to remind you that the event will begin so you don’t forget.
ADHD Planner for Kids
Do you have a child or teen that struggles with ADHD? We have created a 40-page ADHD Planner for Kids that will help make it easier for them to organize their schedules, daily tasks and homeschool work. It’s not just limited to kids, however, as adults can get organized using the pages as well.
What’s included:
This 40-page Planner can be used however you like. You can print all of the pages and have them spiral bound into your very own planner. Or you can only print the pages you want your child to use. You can print as many copies as you want and store them in a 3-ring binder or a folder.
- Tips for Focused Learning – Brightly colored pages with visual cues and helpful tips to focus.
- Coping Skills Ideas Page
- Study Task List
- Wellness Planner
- Thought Record
- 3o Day Challenge – Choose something to focus on for the month and check it off every single day with stickers or coloring in the dots.
- Mindfulness Exercises and Activities
- Self Advocacy Pages – Teach your children how to advocate for themselves with the SUPER method.
- Weekly & Daily Planner Pages – Choose from a daily planner or weekly planner.
- Problem Solving and Calming Strategies
- Morning, Meal, Afternoon & Evening Checklist Pages
- Brain Dump & Brain Storming Pages – This is a great way to get everything out on paper with what needs to be worked on.
- Set Goals Worksheets & Gratitude Worksheets
- Break Time, Sleep & Sensory Diet Logs – Check off and color in when you complete the tasks
- Behavior, Reward, Chore & Time Management Charts – A great way for your child to stay focused with everything that they need to do by rewarding behavior.
- Assignment Due Dates, Homework, Emotion, Exercise, Medication, & Savings Trackers
- Notes Page