Super Funday · A parent’s experience
ADHD activities at home - one activity kept my child captivated
One of the screen-free activities that kept my child with ADHD entertained for over 30 minutes started with something already in our house: creaky wooden stairs.
We have three staircases in total. Certain parts of the steps creak when you put weight on them. That became the challenge: could he make it from the bottom of the cellar-to-ground-floor staircase all the way to the top staircase, including the landings, without a creak or any other noise?
What is the Creaky Staircase Game?
The Creaky Staircase Game is a simple, screen-free activity where children try to walk along a safe route without making a sound. It uses careful movement, observation and trial and error. One parent found that the game kept their child with ADHD engaged for more than 30 minutes. It requires no special equipment and can also be played on a flat surface.
One simple rule: reach the top quietly
The goal was easy to explain. Start at the bottom, work your way through all three staircases and the landings, and reach the top without making a sound.
If a noise happened, he had to start again from the beginning.
There was no screen, no special equipment, and no complicated set of instructions. The house itself provided the puzzle: which parts of each step would creak, and could he find a quiet way through?
The creaky steps made it a puzzle
This was more than simply walking upstairs. A step could make a noise depending on where he placed his foot. Each attempt was another chance to work out the route.
Each attempt meant remembering where he had placed his feet and which parts of the stairs had creaked. He also had to resist giggling—a challenge in itself when the whole mission depended on staying quiet. But even when he managed to hold in the laughter, his smile gave away how much he was enjoying it.
The landings were part of the challenge too. Getting past one staircase wasn’t the finish: he still had the rest of the journey to complete.
That clear destination and the possibility of a quieter attempt gave the activity something to return to. In our case, it held his interest for over 30 minutes.
That is our experience with this particular game. It doesn’t mean another child will enjoy it for the same amount of time, or that it is a treatment for ADHD.
How to try the idea in your own home
You don’t need three staircases to borrow the idea. The basic challenge is to reach an agreed destination as quietly as possible.
- Choose a short, clear route and a finish point.
- Explain the goal in one sentence: “Can you reach the finish without making a sound?”
- Let your child try the route at their own pace.
- Agree what happens after a noise. Our rule was to start again; you could allow another try from the same spot.
- Keep going while your child enjoys it, and stop or change the rule if restarting becomes frustrating.
A quiet mission across a room or along a hallway is a way to try the same idea on one level.
Keep a staircase version slow and supervised
If you use stairs, have a grown-up supervise and choose a route your child can already manage comfortably. Keep the steps and landings clear and well lit, and use the handrail. Holding the rail matters more than staying silent.
This is a careful walking challenge, with no running, jumping, skipping steps, or balancing near edges. After a noise, return to the start calmly. A shorter route is fine, and a floor-level version works if stairs aren’t suitable.
A small idea that worked for us
The memorable part was how little setup it took. Three wooden staircases, some creaky steps, and one clear goal became a game that kept my child interested for over 30 minutes.
For our family, it was a reminder that an everyday part of the house can become an adventure when you give it a mission.
Explore Super Funday missions →More screen-free ideas to try
Explore five screen-free activities using things you already have or activities siblings of different ages can play together.