What is: Executive Function? (Part 4)

Developing Executive Function

Read Part 1: Working Memory
Read Part 2: Cognitive Flexibility
Read Part 3: Inhibitory Control

I’ve spent the past three weeks writing about what executive function is. Today I want to write about how to develop executive function skills in children, and to offer some tips for adults with executive function challenges.

Recap: What is Executive Function?

Executive function—the combination of working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control—is an important part of daily life. It is a learned skill that develops through childhood and into young adulthood. For this reason, most of us, whether or not we have heard the term “executive function” before, unconsciously associate healthy, developed executive functioning skills with maturity.

There are many neurological differences that can cause a child to not develop executive function as quickly as their peers. The most commonly known ones are ADHD and autism. These same neurodiversities also affect executive functioning ability in adults.

Developing Executive Function

If you are a parent or educator, there are many ways you can support a child as they develop their executive function ability. Here are some activities you can try for each core executive functioning skill.

Working Memory

• Memory
  The game “Memory” (also called “Concentration”) is a fantastic game to play with children. It helps them expand their working memory by temporarily remembering the location of cards on the table.

• Games
  Games in general are great way to teach children. They learn best when they are having fun! Inventing a game with a “secret password,” or a secret role that they must perform and reveal later, is a fun way to encourage kids to keep information in their mind, building working memory.

• Mental Math
  Nobody likes mental math, but it is an important way to build and use working memory. Since children learn better when their body is involved, show them how to “write” and solve the question with an invisible pencil in the air.

• Tricks
  Use “tricks” to help children remember things: making up a silly story about the information, imagining a colourful picture that reminds them of the information, or turning the information into a rhyme or song. Older children can learn to create mnemonics or acronyms to jog their memory.

Science has good news for any adults who struggle with working memory. Studies indicate that you can exercise and improve your working memory ability at any age! This means that the suggestions above aren’t just valuable for kids. If you want to improve your working memory, you can benefit from adding brain games to your daily routine.

Cognitive Flexibility

• Pretend
  Pretend play has an important purpose. It teaches children to “put themselves in someone else’s shoes,” or, in other words, shift their perspective and see things in a different way. Pretending to be an animal, a community worker, a teacher, or a parent is a valuable exercise for a young mind, so get out those dress-up clothes and play!

• Drama
  Pretend play doesn’t have to end in Kindergarten. Just rebrand it, and keep working on empathy and perspective shifting.

• Discuss
  Older children can practice shifting their perspective and developing empathy by discussing book characters or news articles, and trying to understand another’s point of view.

• Change It Up
  Part of cognitive flexibility is the ability to adapt to change. So try something new! Have a picnic on the floor, do class outside, have a surprise guest drop in, etc… and then model for your children/students how to adapt and go with the flow. Making change fun can make them more readily accepting of change in the future.

• Build and Shift
  Sing a song or play a game with evolving rules. Examples: “This time, we’re going to whisper the song, next time we’ll shout it!” or “Ok, we’re going to play again, but this time everyone has to hop on one foot!”

• Problem Solve
  “Oh no, we’re out of green paint! What can we do?” “Uh-oh, we don’t have enough blocks to finish our tower. What could we use that’s the same size as our blocks?” While it is kind to shield children from many of the adult problems of this world, it can actually be beneficial to create a few kid-sized problems for them to overcome. This builds their cognitive flexibility, and their self-confidence.

Adults with cognitive flexibility challenges can also exercise their skills. If you recognize that you struggle with change, problem-solving, or empathy, you can practice by adding some low-stakes changes to your routine (such as switching which order you eat breakfast and shower in the morning). You can also choose to expose yourself to new experiences and different perspectives by trying a new cuisine, reading a memoir, or going to a play or movie outside of your favourite genre. The goal isn’t to love every new thing you try, but rather to better understand why someone else might enjoy it.

Inhibitory Control

• Simon Says
  Another classic childhood game that teaches a valuable life skill is “Simon Says.” This game teaches children to listen carefully, and quickly consider what they are about to do before they do it.

• Stop and Go
  Activities like freeze tag, freeze dancing, and “Red Light Green Light” help children develop inhibitory control over their physical movements.

• Turn-Taking
  Playing games that require kids to take turns are good inhibitory control teachers. They teach them to delay their actions until the right time. Practicing taking turns while speaking (by having a physical object they can pass around to indicate whose turn it is) helps them learn inhibitory control over their communication.

• Waiting
  Waiting can be torturous for children with little inhibitory control. It is helpful to teach them to read a story, sing a song in their head, play “Eye Spy,” or count different objects they see in waiting rooms before appointments or in restaurants before the food arrives. Teaching children ways to occupy themselves while they wait gives them tools to grow their patience and self control skills in the future.

You may find after reading these ideas, that you are already helping the little ones in your life develop their executive function. Many of us learn (and teach!) this important skillset without realizing it. Or, you may notice that there are some gaps in the executive function skills you are teaching. If so, it’s not too late! I hope these ideas and examples are a helpful starting point.

If you have a child that struggles greatly with their executive function—perhaps with diagnosed or not-yet-diagnosed ADHD or autism, please don’t let this post get you down! These activities are not a checklist of tasks your child must perform by a certain age to prove that you are a good parent. I wanted to make sure I said this, because I’m an an AuDHD and ADHD parent myself, and I have an honorary degree in “Mom Guilt.” Been there. It’s not fun. And I never want to add to the burden of another parent.

I hope this post gives you ideas on how to teach the skills your child is struggling with, and doesn’t give you a new set of criteria you feel you must meet. Also, I hope that this post validates any concerns you may have about your child. If your child doesn’t have a diagnosis, but you notice struggles in all of these areas, it ok to ask for help or to book that evaluation.

Thank you for sticking with me for four parts of this series. Just one more to go! I’ll wrap it up next week with ideas on how to support an adult who has executive function difficulties. I think it’s an important topic as more and more autistic and ADHD kids grow up and enter university and the workforce.

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