This article is part of our weekly series Executive Function Tips for Families. Parents, need to switch up your child’s working memory practice game? This activity will have young minds sorting and switching with endless possibilities! Objective: Improve working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility in preschoolers (3 – 4 years) through a dynamic…
Mindful Scavenger Hunt
This article is part of our weekly series Executive Function Tips for Families. Are you on the hunt for a fun way to practice working memory? Search no further! Objective: This game enhances mindful concentration, which helps your child learn to hold rules in their memory and exercise flexible thinking. Executive Function Skills Practiced: Planning:…
Stop, Go, or Go Slow?
This article is part of our weekly series Executive Function Tips for Families. Parents! This game gets the green light for fast, fun EF enhancement! Objective: This game focuses on listening rules to enhance attention and encourage your child to think before acting. Executive Function Skills Practiced: Inhibitory Control: Your child will have to stop…
Executive Function Stages and Ages
This article is part of our weekly series Executive Function Tips for Families. Parents, do you wonder how EF looks at different ages? Find out in a quick read with games for any age! Objective: In this article, we’ll examine typical EF skills by age and simple activities to support those skills. We’ll also highlight…
Do You Know What’s Missing?
This article is part of our weekly series Executive Function Tips for Families. Have ten minutes? Turn magical moments, favorite stories, or household items into meaningful working memory practice! Objective: This activity challenges children’s working memory and inhibitory control by having them remember a visual array of people, characters, or objects while resisting the…
Music Patterns
This article is part of our weekly series Executive Function Tips for Families. Parents, do you have time on your hands? If you do, put those hands together for quick pattern playtime! Objective: This game develops and strengthens the executive function skills of selective attention, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility through clapping and tapping patterns.…
Guest Blog: Strengthening EF Skills at Home
Guest Blogger Spotlight: Hello, I’m Nicole Rouleau, an Executive Function and Learning Specialist, and owner of Igniting Your Mind. My mission is to empower individuals to overcome challenges, increase their quality of life, and unlock their full potential. Having spent more than 23 years as both a mother and an educator, I’ve come to appreciate…
Play Bear & Dragon at Home
Flex those cognitive flexibility skills in a game with real characters! Bear and Dragon stop by to engage your child in a new take on “Follow the Leader”. They must choose to follow or not follow Bear and Dragon’s requests based on the rules presented. Activity: Flex those cognitive flexibility skills in a game with real…
EF and Math Success
Understanding How Executive Function Training Impacts Mathematics Skills in Preschool Children: A Conversation With Developmental Psychologist Dr. Jasmine Ernst Evidence suggests there is a positive correlation between strong executive function (EF) skills and academic growth over time. Programs that integrate EF practice into early childhood curriculum may see significant improvements in learning and social development. Why…
Fathers Matter: The Role of Father Autonomy Support and Control in Executive Function Development
This article is part of our weekly series Executive Function Tips for Families. Fathering Futures: The Impact of Dad’s Guidance on Child Executive Function About the Study: This article discusses a study that investigated an often-overlooked aspect of child development—the influence of fathers on their children’s executive function (EF) skills. While extensive research has…