Executive Function Skills in Children: What They Are and How to Build Them
Executive function explained: working memory, flexible thinking and self-control, signs of executive dysfunction, ADHD links and OT strategies by age.
“Go upstairs, brush your teeth, put on your pyjamas and bring down your book.” For some children, that’s an easy list. For others, they arrive upstairs and forget why they went. The difference often comes down to executive function.
What are executive function skills?
The Harvard Center on the Developing Child compares executive function to an air traffic control system in the brain: it helps us manage information, make decisions and plan ahead, so we can focus on several streams of information at once and change plans when needed.
Working memory
Holding and using information in mind
Mental flexibility
Switching focus and adapting
Self-control
Stopping, waiting and resisting impulses
These three skills work together and support planning, organisation, time management and emotional control.
| Skill | What it does | Everyday example |
|---|---|---|
| Working memory | Holds information in mind while using it | Remembering a three-step instruction; doing mental maths |
| Mental (cognitive) flexibility | Switches between tasks, rules or ideas; sees other perspectives | Coping when plans change; trying a new way when the first fails |
| Self-control (inhibitory control) | Stops automatic responses; waits; resists distractions | Raising a hand instead of shouting out; finishing homework before games |
These three skills combine into everyday abilities like planning, organising, starting tasks, time management, monitoring your own work and managing emotions.
How executive function develops
We are not born with these skills, but we are born with the capacity to develop them. Executive function begins in infancy, grows rapidly between about ages 3 and 5, and keeps maturing through childhood and adolescence into the mid-20s. That’s why a 7-year-old needs reminders that a 15-year-old doesn’t, and why even teenagers still need support with planning.
| Age | What you might expect |
|---|---|
| 2–3 years | Follows simple one-step instructions; begins to wait briefly; plays simple turn-taking games |
| 4–5 years | Follows two- to three-step instructions; plays games with simple rules; begins to stop and think |
| 6–8 years | Follows a morning routine with reminders; packs a school bag with a checklist; manages short homework tasks |
| 9–12 years | Plans small projects; manages a planner with support; starts estimating how long tasks take |
| Teens | Plans longer assignments; manages time across subjects; still developing impulse control and long-term planning |
A rough guide only; children develop at different rates.
Signs of executive function difficulties
| Area | What it can look like |
|---|---|
| Starting tasks | Procrastinating; not knowing where to begin; needing someone to get them started |
| Working memory | Forgetting instructions, homework or what they went to get; losing their place |
| Organisation | Messy bag and desk; losing belongings; papers everywhere |
| Time management | Underestimating how long things take; always late; rushing at the end |
| Flexibility | Big reactions to changes in plans; stuck on one way of doing things |
| Self-control | Interrupting; acting before thinking; difficulty waiting |
| Emotional control | Quick frustration; meltdowns when tasks feel overwhelming |
Executive function difficulties are a core feature of ADHD, and are also common in autism, dyspraxia (DCD), learning disabilities, anxiety, depression and after brain injury.
How occupational therapy helps
Occupational therapists look at how executive function affects daily occupations, such as getting ready for school, homework, chores and play, and use two main strategies:
- Build the skill through practice, games and coaching.
- Change the task or environment so less depends on memory and willpower: visual schedules, checklists, timers and organised spaces.
Break tasks into steps
-
Toilet and wash
Picture card on the bathroom door
-
Get dressed
Clothes laid out the night before
-
Breakfast
Same place, same time
-
Teeth and hair
Timer for 2 minutes of brushing
-
Bag check
Checklist on the front door
Strategies that work
- Visual schedules and checklists for routines and multi-step tasks
- Timers (especially visual ones) to make time visible
- “First–then” language: “First homework, then tablet”
- Chunking: break big tasks into small, clear steps, and tick each off
- A home for everything: labelled boxes, hooks and folders
- Stop–Think–Do: pause before acting, think of options, then choose
- Planners and phone reminders for older children and teens
- Movement breaks to help attention, especially for children with ADHD
Problem 1Can't complete the morning routine without many reminders
GoalWill complete the morning routine using a picture checklist with no more than one reminder on 4 of 5 school days within 6 weeks.
- Ticks each step on the checklist
- Uses a visual timer for teeth brushing
Problem 2Forgets homework and materials
GoalWill bring home all needed materials 4 of 5 days within 8 weeks.
- Uses an end-of-day bag checklist
- Writes homework in a planner with teacher check
Games that build executive function
| Skill | Games and activities |
|---|---|
| Working memory | Memory card games, "I went shopping and bought…", following a recipe, Simon Says with growing sequences |
| Flexibility | Card games where rules change (e.g. Uno), building challenges with different materials, "What else could this be?" |
| Self-control | Freeze dance, Red Light Green Light, Simon Says, waiting-for-a-turn board games |
| Planning | Obstacle courses the child designs, Lego from instructions, planning a picnic, puzzles |
Summary
Executive function skills, working memory, mental flexibility and self-control, help children plan, focus and manage daily life. They develop slowly over many years, and difficulties are common, especially in ADHD. Occupational therapists build these skills with practice and games, and make daily life easier with routines, visual supports and organised environments. Read more about occupational therapy for children.
Related guides: Executive function activities for teens, OT for adults with ADHD.
References
- Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Executive Function & Self-Regulation.
- Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Building the Brain’s “Air Traffic Control” System: How Early Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function. Working Paper No. 11. 2011.
- Diamond A. Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology. 2013;64:135–168.
- Dawson P, Guare R. Smart but Scattered. Guilford Press.
- Barkley RA. Executive Functions: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Evolved. Guilford Press.
Frequently asked questions
What are executive function skills?
What is executive dysfunction?
At what age do executive function skills develop?
Is executive dysfunction the same as ADHD?
How can parents help a child with executive function difficulties?
Written by
Deepam Pawar, OT
Deepam Pawar is an occupational therapist and co-founder of Occupational Therapy OT. He focuses on clinical frameworks, assessment, and evidence-based practice.
All articles by Deepam →This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized assessment or treatment by a licensed occupational therapist. Always seek the guidance of a qualified professional for specific concerns.
