Helping Kids with ADHD Through Games: What a New Study Tells Us About Serious Gaming and Child Development

If you're parenting a child with ADHD, you're likely already juggling strategies to help them focus, regulate emotions, and manage their day. From organizing routines to exploring therapy, every family’s journey is unique — especially when raising children across cultures or languages.

A new 2025 study by Doulou, Pergantis, Drigas, and Skianis brings promising news for parents and professionals alike: “Serious games” — designed with a learning or therapeutic goal — may offer real benefits for kids with ADHD.

Let’s break it down.

Why Serious Games?

Unlike regular video games created just for fun, serious games are intentionally designed to improve skills — like memory, emotional regulation, or attention span.

Think of them as high-tech tools that can feel like play but are carefully developed to train the brain.

What Did the Study Look At?

This was a systematic review, meaning the researchers didn’t run a single experiment. Instead, they examined 30 different studies that tested serious games in children with ADHD, using a range of technologies:

• PC or mobile/tablet apps

• Augmented reality (AR)

• Virtual reality (VR)

• Wearable devices

• Robots

• Brain–computer interfaces (BCI)

They reviewed nearly 800 studies across four major scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar), choosing only those that met strict quality standards.

What Skills Can These Games Improve?

The review found that serious games helped children improve a wide range of cognitive and emotional skills, including:

• Visuospatial working memory (helping kids remember what they see and do)

• Attention and concentration

• Inhibition control (learning to pause before acting)

• Cognitive flexibility (switching tasks or adapting to change)

• Planning and organizing

• Problem-solving

• Social communication

• Emotional regulation

These improvements are especially encouraging because they target the core challenges children with ADHD face, whether in school, at home, or in social situations.

Why Is This Important for International Families?

For global and expat families, accessing consistent care and culturally familiar support can be tricky. Serious games may offer portable, language-flexible, and accessible solutions that can bridge care across borders.

Imagine your child getting executive function training from a tablet app, no matter where you’re living — or practicing emotional regulation skills in a safe VR space.

Should Parents Use These Games at Home?

While many of these tools are still being developed and tested, some are already available for parents and therapists to explore. However, it’s important to:

• Choose games with evidence-based design (ask your clinician or school psychologist for guidance)

• Use them as a complement, not a replacement, for other therapies or interventions

• Supervise and support your child’s use — serious games are most effective when paired with real-world discussion and reflection

A Glimpse Into the Future

This study gives hope for a more inclusive and innovative approach to ADHD care — one that’s engaging, tech-savvy, and grounded in research. It also reminds us that digital tools, when thoughtfully used, can support children in building skills that help them thrive.

At Baumgarten Child Psychology and More, we’re always looking for cross-cultural, practical ways to support your family. If you’re curious about serious games and ADHD, feel free to reach out — we’re happy to guide you toward evidence-based options that suit your family’s needs.

Sources:

Doulou, A., Pergantis, P., Drigas, A., & Skianis, C. (2025).Managing ADHD Symptoms in Children Through the Use of Various Technology-Driven Serious Games: A Systematic Review. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 9(1), 8.