Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Children aren’t born with these skills—they are born with the potential to develop them.
How You Can Help
Adults can help children develop executive function skills by establishing routines, modeling social behavior, and creating and maintaining supportive, reliable relationships. It is also important for children to practice their developing skills and over time, be given opportunities to direct their own actions with decreasing adult supervision.
The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has created a 16-page activity guide with a variety of age-appropriate ways for adults to support and strengthen components of executive function and self-regulation. Each chapter contains activities suitable for a different age group, from infants to teenagers.
Download the entire guide:
Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence
Or Download select chapters:
Activities for 6- to 18-month-olds
Activities for 18- to 36-month-olds
Activities for 3- to 5-year-olds
Activities for 5- to 7-year-olds
Activities for 7- to 12-year-olds
Activities for Adolescents
Source: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University | Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence, https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/activities-guide-enhancing-and-practicing-executive-function-skills-with-children-from-infancy-to-adolescence | © 2018 The President and Fellows of Harvard College
Care Coordinators can arrange a free 30 minute Care Consultation so you can explore options with an expert. We invite you to call or email our Care Coordinators at 650.688.3625 or careteam@chconline.org to set up an initial Parent Consultation appointment.
