How to Improve Executive Function in Children and Teens

What does the lack of executive function skills look like in children?

These often very bright kids aren't avoiding tasks on purpose; rather they often miss the why and how of tasks. That may be so confusing for most parents who see their kids have excellent skills during preferred interests but then struggle when they are bored. When younger children with executive function skills issues are interested and have skills in a task, they can often override their difficulties with concentrated effort. 

The day-to-day tasks are challenging for kids who lack executive function skills because they don’t connect what they are learning or doing with a future event, goal, or end product. They can't “see” how the pieces connect to the big picture. 

What are Good Executive Functioning Skills?

When we start thinking about what skills kids and teens need, then it is a lot easier to understand what skills they are missing to be successful. For those that have good executive functioning skills, they are able to start with visualizing the end goal or product and then work backwards strategically planning what they need. 

Those with good executive function also have good self-awareness, meaning they can connect what they are doing and what actions they need to take with the environment around them. They don't rely on others to cue (or nudge) them; they have that internal awareness and clock to know what steps to take and in what order to get a task done in a timely manner. 

Executive Functioning Skills Children and Teens Need To Be Successful at School and Home:

• Response Inhibition: The ability to think before you act. 
• Working Memory: Holding information in memory while completing tasks.
• Emotional Control: Managing uncomfortable emotions.
• Flexibility: Ability to revise plans and adapt to change. 
• Sustained Attention: Maintaining attention in spite of boredom, distraction or fatigue.
• Task Initiation: Starting projects in a timely manner. 
• Planning/Prioritizing: Creating a roadmap to meet goals and one's ability to focus on what's important and what isn't.
• Organization: How one follows, creates and maintains systems.
• Time Management: Estimating time and also staying within limits and deadlines. 
• Goal Directed Performance: Following through to completion of goal without distraction. 
• Metacognition: Bird's eye view of situation and problem-solving. 
• Stress Tolerance: How you view, manage, and recover from stress

How do Executive Functioning  Skills Develop?

Executive functioning skills develop over time with practice at doing skills both independently and with guidance. When children learn to connect with what they are doing right now, it matters to some future outcome, and then, they can develop good executive functioning skills. 

Executive functioning can be divided into foundational and advanced skills. Logically, advanced skills can't develop without building a solid foundation, but often, in schools, they are the focus of an IEP, and at home, parents understandably try to teach these skills in an effort to help their child or teen manage tasks independently. 

Play is a powerful way to enhance learning and brain development and, more specifically, enhance executive function (EF) skills. Play is how children explore their world and learn in both an explicit and implicit manner. Research shows that young children with well-developed executive functioning skills are an important predictor for later academic and life success (Gibbs et. al, 2021). 

How to Improve Executive Function

Executive functions can be learned and improved with practice and support. While some children may naturally develop these skills over time, others may need additional help and strategies to strengthen their weak executive function skills and abilities. 

Here are some ways to support the development of executive function skills:

1. Structure and Routine: Establishing a consistent daily routine helps children who lack executive functions know what to expect and reduces the cognitive load of figuring out what to do next.

    

2. Visual Aids: Use visual schedules, create checklists and planners. These tools can help children keep track of tasks and manage their time effectively. You can go creative and have fun with creating these visual aids. Giving them an active role can help improve executive functioning skills.

    

3. Breaking Tasks into Steps: Teaching children to break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps can make it easier for them to initiate and complete activities.

    

4. Modeling and Role-Playing: Demonstrating and role-playing various executive functions and strategies can help children learn and apply them in real-life situations.

    

5. Positive Reinforcement: Providing praise and rewards for using executive function skills effectively can motivate children to continue practicing these behaviors.

    

6. Mindfulness and Self-Regulation Techniques: Teaching children mindfulness and regulation techniques can help them manage their emotions and stay focused on tasks.

    

7. Interactive and Engaging Activities: Games and activities that require planning, problem-solving, and memory can be fun ways to build executive function skills.

    

8. Professional Support: Working with teachers, school counselors, or therapists can provide children with tailored strategies and interventions to improve executive function issues.

With patience, consistency, and the proper support, children can develop and enhance their executive function skills, as well as cognitive flexibility, leading to improved performance in school and everyday life.

What Parents Can Do to Build Executive Functioning Skills in Their Kids 

Parents should focus on working on behavioral regulation and impulse control first because, without emotional and behavioral regulation, kids will struggle to learn those higher level skills. When a child struggles with stress tolerance or emotional and behavioral regulation, clinical issues such as anxiety, OCD, ADHD, autism, and depression should always be considered. It is very common for individuals to have a primary mental health issue or neurodevelopmental disorder.

Calming the brain is the place to start, as every kid can benefit from a regulated nervous system. Mindfulness activities such as breathing exercises and somatically connecting to the body are easy and effective ways to help your child be more alert and engaged. Physical exercise is also a great way to help them regulate.