Why Build Executive Functions?

Executive functions are a group of mental processes that include:

-          Self-regulation

-          Task switching

-          Working memory

-          Socio-emotional control

Executive function skillsets play an important role in our daily lives throughout our lifespan. For example, we use behavioural inhibition to carefully make a decision, rather than reacting to our initial impulse. Because these skills play such a large role in our daily activities, it is important to find ways to improve them.

Executive function skill level has been found to predict school success, benefit behavioural control, overall health, and enable individuals to make greater contributions to the work force. The long-term outcomes of low executive function ability include increased antisocial behaviours, physical aggression, and emotional instability.

While we know executive function abilities are critical to childhood development, the question then is how do we appropriately build these skills?

In 2016, Building Brains implemented a curriculum that emphasized the development of executive function abilities in pre-school educational settings. The Building Brains curriculum was based on fun, fast, and easy to play games that develop executive functions such as behavioural inhibition including self-regulation, working memory, and cognitive flexibility.  For example, playing “red light/ green light” requires the child to inhibit and shift behaviour, requires working memory to keep the instructions in mind, and requires emotional control for managing a loss as there can only be one winner in this game. The results of the Building Brains study showed that children not only improved in multiple measures of executive function including self-regulation, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, but also in motor and social aspects of development.

The Building Brains curriculum games are simple to play at home, in the car, or while waiting at the dentist.  The adult is an active participant in this play. They may start as a leader, but roles can be reversed, and the child may take turns as a leader further developing executive control. The adult participant is building relationships and attachment with the children by prioritizing playing with them.

Visit our resource page to access our free curriculum of games.

Sources:

Willoughby, Magnus, VernonFeagans, Blair, & Investigators, 2017

Alloway & Alloway, 2010

Building executive function in pre-school children through play: a curriculum Article in International Journal of Play · February 2020 - Lara A. Coelho, Alycia N. Amatto, Claudia L.R. Gonzalez & Robbin L. Gibb