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Executive Functions
The Harvard Center on the Developing Child shares that "Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Just as an air traffic control system at a busy airport safely manages the arrivals and departures of many aircraft on multiple runways, the brain needs this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and control impulses."
Watch this video to learn more from Harvard about executive functions:
https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/
Here are some activities to support your child in developing executive functions.
Get organized!
Make your child a to-do list to help them get ready for school or through the after school activity period.
Post schedules and plans somewhere that everyone in the family can see them.
Give your child a calendar and show him/her how to note special events and activities.
Lay out clothes the night before to simplify the morning routine.
Model how to use checklists such as when shopping or when completing chores.
Use your kitchen timer to give your child a warning that an activity has ended.
Have your child tell you what comes first, next, and last in an activity sequence.
Reduce clutter! Eliminate unused and unwanted toys. Put the rest in clear containers.
Clean up! Have your child participate in household chores such as putting away dishes and silverware, sorting laundry, putting away toys.
Keep items needed for special events and activities in a designated place, such as sports items and school items.
Engage in meaningful play!
Board games teach memory and concentration.
Building toys that require kids to replicate a model teach important skills that relate to reading and math.
Puzzles, especially lengthy jigsaw puzzles, help kids develop concentration.
Pretend play develops skills that help with reading comprehension.
Provide inspiration for block play by giving kids pictures of buildings in a three ring binder.
Balance crafts with open ended art activities. Crafts teach important skills for following directions and open ended activities inspire creativity and imagination.
Check out the article about video games: http://www.mindinthemaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PFL-learning-and-videogames.pdf
Regulate emotions!
If you can name it, you can tame it! Label emotions for your child. Check out what Yale's Center for Emotional Intelligence video: https://youtu.be/Vh0ZfCvhfrE and website http://ei.yale.edu/
A great article about stress management: http://www.mindinthemaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PFL-school-age-stress-management.pdf
How to handle a yelling preschooler: http://www.mindinthemaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PFL-yelling-preschool.pdf
Tell your child how YOU feel when you are experiencing a range of emotions. "I feel so frustrated when... I am happy because... " and be dramatic! Show your child facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
When your child can't label his/her emotion, do it for him/her. "I can see you're really excited because... I can see you are angry..."
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