Executive Function Skills and Strategies
- Jenny Webb
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
Executive functions are the mental skills children use to plan, organize, start tasks, manage time, and regulate emotions. When a child struggles with these skills, even simple routines—like completing homework or packing a backpack—can feel overwhelming.
What Are Executive Function Skills?
Executive functions include:
Planning and organization
Working memory (holding and using information)
Impulse control and emotional regulation
Task initiation and cognitive flexibility
These skills work like a child’s internal “air traffic control” system, guiding decision-making and helping them manage day-to-day tasks. Kids who struggle in this area often face challenges both at home and in school.
Core Strategies That Support Growth
1. Use Checklists and Break Tasks Into Steps
Children who struggle with executive functioning may not know where to begin. Breaking assignments or chores into smaller, manageable steps (ideally in checklist form) can help reduce stress and increase follow-through.
2. Record Assignments Immediately
Encourage children to write assignments down as soon as they’re given. This small habit builds responsibility and eases the strain on working memory.
3. Establish Consistent Routines
Predictable routines support task initiation and reduce the number of decisions kids have to make. For example, an after-school routine might include a snack, a short break, then homework, followed by screen time or outdoor play.
4. Explain the “Why” Behind the Tools
When kids understand how a strategy helps them, they are more likely to buy in. Whether it’s a checklist, a visual schedule, or a reward system, connecting the tool to the benefit (“This helps you remember everything you need for school”) can make a big difference.
5. Reinforce Progress and Effort
Younger children may benefit from visual reinforcement like stickers or tokens, while older kids tend to respond better to verbal praise and encouragement. Focus on effort, not just results, to build resilience and confidence.
Tools That Work at School
Supporting executive function in the classroom often involves simple, consistent systems. Teachers and support staff can use planners, color-coded folders, visual reminders, and organizational check-ins to help students stay on track. Collaboration between home and school is key.
Examples of helpful school-based tools include:
A daily planner or assignment notebook
Subject-specific folders or binders (color-coded if helpful)
A quiet space for organizing materials at the start or end of the day
Visual reminders on desks or in lockers
Healthy snacks (to support focus and energy levels)
Activities That Build Executive Function Skills
While structure helps, practice is just as important. These activities have been shown to support skill development:
Computer-based training (like working memory games) helps build mental flexibility and retention.
Physical activity (including yoga, martial arts, or team sports) strengthens focus, coordination, and emotional regulation.
Games like Simon Says, memory matching, or puzzles improve attention and self-control.
Play-based learning programs, such as Tools of the Mind or Montessori-style approaches, build executive functioning through choice, peer interaction, and structured tasks.
When to Seek More Support
If a child continues to struggle—especially in areas like emotional regulation, focus, or organization—it may be helpful to seek a professional evaluation. Learning specialists or psychologists can assess executive functioning and help identify targeted supports such as accommodations, therapy, or coaching.
A Family-Friendly Roadmap
Why It All Matters
Executive function skills don’t just emerge on their own—they’re built over time through practice and support. Children benefit when we provide structure, reinforce effort, and make space for them to develop at their own pace. These are life skills, not just school skills.
Helping kids grow in these areas sets them up for success—in the classroom, at home, and beyond.
