Executive function games for kids, explained for parents

Executive function is the set of skills a child uses to manage their own thinking: working memory, self-control (also called inhibitory control) and flexible thinking. Researchers at the Harvard Center on the Developing Child compare it to an air traffic control system for the brain. Children build these skills slowly, and everyday games give them regular practice.

The three core skills

• Working memory: holding information in mind while using it. Practise with memory games, multi-step instructions and story recall.
• Inhibitory control: stopping an automatic response. Practise with freeze games, Simon says and turn-taking.
• Cognitive flexibility: switching rules or seeing things another way. Practise with sorting by one rule, then another, and games where the rules change.

Games for each age

The Harvard Center publishes free activity guides by age, including 3 to 5 year olds and 5 to 7 year olds. Their ideas include imaginary play, movement and song games, matching and sorting, and card and board games.

Executive function in Jupo World

Jupo World's skill map has an Executive Function area with three skills: inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility. Each of its more than 20 games is weighted against these and the other 23 skills, and the parent area shows which ones a child has practised, with no scores.

Questions parents ask

Can games improve executive function?

Games give practice, and practice in enjoyable settings is how these skills grow. We do not claim any game can guarantee a result.

Is executive function the same as intelligence?

No. Executive function is about managing thinking and behaviour. It matters for learning, but it is a different thing from intelligence.