executive functioning skills Archives

Tools to Stop to Think

October 16, 2023June 5, 2023 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

Pausing for a moment to stop to think before acting is an essential executive functioning skill that stems from the development of impulse control, working memory, flexible thinking, self-control, and metacognition. The skill of pausing to think allows individuals to consider the potential consequences of their actions, make informed decisions, and exercise impulse control. This is something we all learn, but can take time and practice to master. Let’s explore this cognitive skill further.

This blog post, titled “Stop and Think” was originally published in 2017 and updated May 4, 2021 as occupational therapy practitioners use this phrase to support self-reflection for safety and working memory in daily occupations. The original post was not about the (Amazon affiliate link) Stop and Think Program®. It was updated again on June 5, 2023.

Amazon affiliate links are included in this blog post. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Stopping to Think before Acting

By taking a moment to pause and reflect, individuals can evaluate the situation, think about alternative courses of action, and choose the most appropriate response.

This practice helps develop self-regulation, emotional intelligence, and the ability to manage impulsive behaviors. It also fosters the development of metacognitive skills, enabling individuals to monitor and evaluate their own thoughts and actions.

By incorporating a stopping and thinking strategy into daily activities, children and individuals of all ages can enhance their executive functioning skills and cultivate a more thoughtful and deliberate approach to their actions.

Occupational therapy uses pause and think strategies for self-reflection

Occupational therapy: A Must to Pause to self-reflect

Occupational therapy practitioners play a vital role in supporting the development of self-regulation skills, including the ability to stopping and thinking before completing daily occupations. These therapy practitioners understand the importance of this skill at every level of development. By helping individuals cultivate this skill, occupational therapists and OTAs enable their clients to engage in daily activities effectively and safely.

Examples of this tool in occupational therapy include:

How did I accomplish this task last time? What steps did I take?
What did I do well last time I completed this daily task?
What did I not do well last time when I completed this task?
Before I step into the shower, do I have all of the items I need?
Thinking about energy conservation, is there anything else I need to get out of the refrigerator before moving back across the kitchen?
When I respond to a friend’s text, what do I want to get across in my message?

Stopping to think before acting allows individuals to utilize their working memory as a tool for completing everyday tasks at home, school, and in the community. Whether it’s a child learning to control impulsive behaviors, a teenager navigating social situations, or an adult managing stress in the workplace, the ability to pause and consider the consequences of actions is critical for successful functioning.

Not only that, but there are other reasons why a quick moment to pause in an activity is so important for completing tasks:

Safety
Energy conservation
Time management
Self-awareness
Body awareness
Stress management
Mindfulness
Social interactions
Behavioral (emotional) responses
Behavioral (physical) responses
Use of previous successes
Non-use of previous trials and errors

Using phrases, like “let’s take a moment to re-group”, or “let’s pause for a moment” are designed to help our clients and patients as a a valuable resource for developing social-emotional skills such as self-regulation and emotional intelligence. One way to target these skills and walk away with a handbook is using the printable executive function worksheets listed at the bottom of the page.

These worksheets are specifically created to enhance working memory, impulse control, and the ability to think before acting. They can be utilized in various activities, games, classroom learning, and everyday tasks.

In conjunction with the Zones of Regulation activities and strategies, these worksheets can effectively assist children in emotional and behavioral regulation.

Included in the worksheet packet are multiple resources to teach children the important skill of pausing and thinking before impulsively acting.

The worksheets that specifically target the ability to self-reflect includes:

Red flags indicating a lack of impulse control
Thought-provoking questions for children to reflect on
Cards that encourage children to pause, think, and then act
Tools and strategies for stopping and thinking
Daily reward chart

Struggle with stopping and thinking?

Occupational therapy practitioners employ various strategies and interventions to promote self-regulation, empowering individuals to make informed decisions, regulate emotions, and respond appropriately to their environment. Through collaborative efforts, occupational therapy practitioners equip individuals of all ages with the necessary skills to thrive in their daily lives.

Developing executive functioning skills takes time, as these cognitive abilities continue to develop until early adulthood.

It’s natural to encounter issues with impulsivity, foresight, and cognitive flexibility during childhood. By providing age-appropriate opportunities for children to practice stopping and thinking before acting, we can help them enhance their working memory, impulse control, and self-monitoring skills.

These skills are crucial for learning, safety, and social participation.

Recognizing the red flags showing challenges one might have when they struggle with stopping to think can indicate it’s appropriate to address these skills.

As we know, executive functioning skills do not fully develop until early adulthood. This is because the cognitive functioning center of the brain in the frontal lobe continues to develop into the twenties. You can probably think about specific incidents during your young adult years where impulse control, prioritization, planning, inhibition, and other executive functioning skills were not at their prime. You may have made some inappropriate or unwise decisions during those years.

Our children are developing these skills and won’t fully be developed until much later, so it is natural to see issues with impulsivity, foresight, cognitive flexibility and other skills that are inappropriate.

To help children develop these skills on an age-appropriate level, however allows kids to have the working memory for classroom lessons, the impulse control for safety and homework completion, and the self-monitoring skills to not interrupt. All of these skills and abilities take practice, modeling from adults, and repetition.

Pausing to Think Red Flags

When children are given opportunities to practice stopping and thinking before their actions, they have that chance to develop these skills effectively participate in occupations such as learning, self-care, social participation, and within safe environment.

Some examples of red flags include:

Displaying impulsive physical behavior
Being easily distracted
Speaks out or blurts out answers
Interrupts others
Quits or gives up on tasks, assignments, games, etc.
Shoves in lines
Cuts in front of others while waiting in lines
Jumps up from seat
Asks questions about irrelevant topics
Shows physical impulses
Hyperactive behavior
Hypo-active behavior
Jumps to conclusions
Reacts strongly to criticisms
Gets sidetracked by strong emotions
Personal boundary issues
Jumps from one task to another
Easily distracted

The worksheet packet provides a comprehensive list of red flags, enabling children to identify situations where they should apply the ability to stop, think to consider their options, and then act or respond to the situation at hand.

Pause to Think Worksheets

The worksheet packet below has been updated to include even more resources targeting self-regulation, impulse control, self-control, working memory, and other executive functioning skills that impact behavioral responses to everyday situations.

In the packet, you’ll find:

Impulse Control Red Flag handout
Pause to Think list and self-reflection activity
Self-reflection cards
Tools and resource list to try when one needs to stop for a moment before acting or speaking
Problem and solution mind map
Think before you speak sheet
Social and emotional challenges and functional results
Social-emotional observation tool
Daily reward chart
Emotional regulation and executive functioning skill handouts (6)

This packet of free, printable working memory/self-control activities just got better than ever!

Self-Reflection Questions

Additionally, the packet includes questions one can ask themselves as they consider their response to a situation. There are self-reflection questions one can ask themselves as a self-regulation tool. Self-reflection is another aspect of development that takes practice to master.

These questions serve as prompts for children to pause and reflect within specific situations, activities, games, or events. They can jot down their answers in the provided writing area and even cut out the questions as visual reminders for future situations.

These questions can also be helpful for adults in addressing mindfulness, emotional regulation, and executive functioning.

There is space to answer the questions in a blank writing area, and you can cut out the questions as a visual model for future situations. Sometimes having that visual prompt listing out the questions is a good prompt for children, teens, and young adults. These stopping to think questions can even be useful for adults to address mindfulness, mindset, emotional regulation, and executive functioning.

One way to expand the activity is using the pausing to think through actions along with our growth mindset sorting activity. Encourage users to stop to think about their response to a potential situation before responding. This particular process supports an understanding of growth mindset mistakes and turning a potential negative situation into a successful one.

This letter to future self is a great activity to look at where one is and where one would like to be as a future version of themselves. Pair that future version with a goal ladder to break down the steps to achieve that version.

The thinking-then acting cards, which can be cut out, allow students to write down their current situation while considering their emotions, behaviors, and the surrounding environment.

The questions on the cards include:

What am I supposed to be doing?
What am I doing?
How do I feel and why?
I feel___because____.
What might happen?
What tools can I use to help myself?

These cards serve as a tangible reminder for individuals to pause and think, and then respond to a given situation.

To make the most of these resources, try incorporating them into activities like executive functioning skills games, engaging activities that target executive functioning, and more.

These strategies may include:

Additionally, the worksheet packet provides a printable page featuring tools to use in the moment after pausing and thinking.

These coping tools encompass sensory input, heavy work, oral motor input, and vestibular movement. They serve to calm and regulate individuals, helping them refocus and reach a calm and alert state. There is also space to personalize the list with specific tools that work for each individual.

These tools, along with the entire worksheet packet, are invaluable in helping children and individuals of all ages stop and think before acting impulsively.

Stopping to to Think Resource

Finally, the last page of the pausing to think worksheets set is a reward chart sheet. This is a visual prompt for achieving goals as a result of stopping and thinking in the moment. This reward chart may not work for every child or every individual using these stop and think strategies, but it is a tool that is available.

Helping kids to set goals for stopping and thinking is so valuable and this reward chart page can be used in that process.

Would you like to use this printable resource in your interventions, home programing, or classroom? You can grab this resource, print it off, and use over and over again.

Simply enter your email address into the form below and the file will be delivered to your inbox. NOTE: Due to increases in email and internet security for those using work email addresses, the email that delivers this file may be blocked. If you typically use an email ending with .edu, .org, .uni, .gov, etc. consider using a personal email address instead for deliverability.

The Impulse Control Journal…a printable resource for helping kids strategize executive functioning skill development. When saying “calm down” just isn’t enough…

When a child is easily “triggered” and seems to melt down at any sign of loud noises or excitement…

When you need help or a starting point to teach kids self-regulation strategies…

When you are struggling to motivate or redirect a child without causing a meltdown…

When you’re struggling to help kids explore their emotions, develop self-regulation and coping skills, manage and reflect on their emotions, identify their emotions, and more as they grow…

Grab the Impulse Control Journal to build organizational strategies, planning, prioritization, habits, and mindset in kids.

Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.

Stop and think worksheets for kids to help them with working memory, impulse control and teaching strategies to stop and think before acting.

Self-Reflection Activities

February 21, 2024February 14, 2023 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

In this blog post, we are addressing self-reflection activities as a tool to support self-understanding, self-awareness, and personal insight. In young children, this is a challenge that progresses as development occurs. But for some, the personal perspective becomes an area of frustration when empathy, executive functioning, and the ability to self-evaluate is a challenge. Challenges in the ability to self-reflect impact functional performance, social emotional skills, and learning. Let’s cover self-reflection activities and specific self-awareness exercises as a tool for development and personal growth.

Self-Reflection Activities

Self reflection leads to growth. Without looking back at failures and successes, growth is inhibited. If you are one of the few who are actually perfect in every way, you can stop reading. For the rest of the world, read on. The start of a new year often brings bouts of goal setting and self reflection.

WHAT IS SELF AWARENESS?

Self-reflection is a tool that kids and adults can benefit from. Reflecting on one’s actions and behaviors is a great way to grow as an individual and to meet personal goals. Think about a time you’ve set a personal goal. Maybe you wanted to start exercising and lose a few pounds.

By self-reflecting on a day’s events, you can determine what worked in meeting your goal and what didn’t work. You can intentionally put a finger on the parts of your day that helped you meet your goal of going to the gym and what stood in the way of eating healthy meals.

Self-reflection is essential for goal-setting! Most of these occupational therapy activities are free or inexpensive ways to address self-reflection in kids.

Whether this is the start of a school year, or the turning of the calendar to a new year, self reflection activities and resolutions begin to surface. For some, self reflection comes naturally, searching for meaning, purpose, and ways to become a better person. Others find reflection difficult.

This post is full of self reflection activities to spark conversation, goal setting, and prompt growth.

It has been said that the first stage of recovery or change, is to recognize there is a problem.

Many people are unable or unwilling to change because they do not believe there is a problem. Becoming aware takes a lot of self reflection.

People need to recognize the skills they have, and those they are lacking. They need to keep an open mind about who they are and where they are going.

These self-reflection activities can be a vehicle for helping kids to address areas of functioning in several areas. Improving self-reflection can help kids with self-regulation, knowing what coping strategies to pull out of their toolbox, how to act with impulse control, how to better pay attention, how to improve executive functioning skills, and how to function more easily. It’s the ability to stop and think before acting or responding, based on internal knowledge and experiences.

Additionally, self-reflection pays a part in mindfulness. If we are practicing attentiveness in the moment and attending to internal and external experiences, we can self-reflect on what worked, what didn’t work, and how to make things work better next time.

Self-reflection can be so helpful in social-emotional skills, academic learning, functional task completion, organization, and well-being! An awareness of self and the impact one’s own actions has on others is part of the stages of empathy development, too.

According to Dean Graziosi, New York Times best selling author, “Self-awareness is the ability to understand your thoughts, emotions and core values, as well as realize how these elements impact your behavior. It requires emotional intelligence, and it’s about objectively evaluating yourself and aligning your actions with your internal standards. To be self-aware is to be able to realistically assess your strengths and weaknesses while maintaining a positive mindset. It’s the ability to judge where you are in life, determine where you would like to be and set goals to achieve your vision.”

To become self-aware, you must be able to:

See yourself honestly, flaws and all
Identify and control your emotions
Realize your strengths and weaknesses
Take strides toward growth – having a growth mindset helps

One tool for supporting awareness of emotions in general is by doing an emotions check in where the student (or any one, this can be done at any age), identifies how they feel and what their emotions are based on the situation, setting, and triggers. Another tool which is similar but different, is the feelings check in.

Self-Reflection Activities for Kids

One of the first steps in raising self-reflection to to help kids be more self-aware. They can use tools to improve mindfulness to notice how they feel, how the react, or how they behave. Most kids will struggle with this ability in the moment (It’s tough for adults, too!) but they can identify what worked and what didn’t work in a particular situation through conversation.

Using self-control strategies like the Zones of Regulation can be helpful in talking about feelings and self-awareness.

Explore along with the child. When a child is playing or exploring their environment, it can be helpful to play right along with them. Use play experiences to communicate through play.

Use play experiences to mirror actions. When a child is playing, play right along with them! Mimic their actions and words to be more aware as a caregiver of the details of a child’s interactions and to bring awareness for the child. Use this tactic only when the child is in a positive mood. Mirrored actions should not be completed when a child is behaving poorly or to bring attention to behaviors.

Reflect on the day as a family. Plan a family meeting and talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the day. It’s a good way to talk about ways to work on areas of need.

Create a Choice Collection. Come up with options that include coping strategies or tools to use in different environments. These could be part of a sensory diet or self-regulation strategies.

Work on impulse control. The impulse control journal can help.

Use a journal to self-reflect through words or drawings.

Act out situations and how the situation played out. Consider adding dolls or toys for characters in the situations.

Model appropriate behaviors and self-reflection through conversation.

The sensory-based strategies outlined in The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook can be a beneficial tool for addressing self-reflection in kids.

Executive Functioning Skills

Positive Self-Talk for Kids

Impulse Control Strategies

Finally, try some of these self awareness games to build skills through game-playing.

reflection about personal development

Children, teens, and adults of all ages develop in different ways. It’s said that we never stop learning, and this is true at every age and stage. Through learning experiences, there is either success or failure, with some level in the middle. This development occurs whether learning a new skill, trying something new, or trying a new way of doing something.

When there is learning, there is personal development.

As participants in an activity, we can utilize self-awareness skills to monitor successes or challenges that lead to goal achievement.

We can use that information to identify areas of need, or specific areas that we need to try again in a different way.

This allows us to create a feedback analysis of sorts that supports further growth in an area.

Some ways to reflect on personal development include tactics that are used for self-awareness and goal achievement. These strategies are types of reflection exercises and include:

Self-talk
Monitoring progress
Goal mind maps
Goal ladders
Identifying next steps
Talking with others for constructive feedback
Addressing negative feedback

POSITIVE SELF REFLECTION ACTIVITIES

Self-reflection activities are not just focused on the negative perspective.

There is a certain stigma to self reflection activities that they are just focusing on the negative things that need to change. There is positive self reflection also. What did you do well that you need to encourage yourself to keep doing? What did you learn that will be a great asset to your skillset?

Positive self reflection takes as much practice as reflection for growth.

Theoretically is your glass half full or empty? Do your learners search for problems, look for drama, or doubt themselves? By answering these questions we can come up with tools to support habits that our learners might be challenged with. Self-awareness activities are strategies to support self-reflection.

Encourage positive self reflection by trying some of the following activities:

Write three positive things about yourself each day
Journal about positive experiences
Practice acts of kindness
Don’t compare yourself to others, solely reflect on your own abilities
Start a gratitude journal along with various gratitude activities
Ask yourself self reflection questions
Positive self talk activities for kids
I am….- learners write positive statements starting with “I am”
Post positive affirmations around the room, class, social media, or wherever it helps to self reflect on positive thoughts and actions
Teach learners to flip a negative into a positive – I am bad at math, could be turned into I am a great reader, or I can count to 1000
Use a mirror for positive self talk – practice affirming while looking at yourself
Create a positive self talk morning ritual – The Miracle Morning is a powerful resource

SELF REFLECTION ACTIVITIES FOR GROWTH

Everyone has room for growth. Some have the personality type that limits self-reflection and personal awareness, while others have a stream of consciousness that easily enables self-reflection. We are all unique individuals, and these different types of traits are totally ok!

I bet the number one athletes in the Olympics believe there is room for growth. Practice does not make perfect, it makes it better. When I am evaluating students, I often start by asking them why they think I am seeing them. Most of them have some idea, even if they have no idea what Occupational Therapy is. That is my jumping off point. I find out what they believe to be their weaknesses and strengths, and go from there. They may not be accurate, but it is their belief, so it can be shaped.

The key to shaping beliefs and setting goals is to set measurable ones. The acronym SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound.
Use metrics and data to gather correct information about skills and deficits
Learners who have an unrealistic view of themselves, may need counseling to work through this. Body dysmorphia is one such example. People suffering from BD see flaws that no one else sees. They set unrealistic expectations and goals for themselves trying to reach an imaginary goal
Teach The Power of Yet – I may not be the best chess player YET. I could be with more practice and instruction
Ask useful questions – create writing prompts starting with key questions:
- What am I afraid of?
- I struggle when . . .
- One of the most important things I learned was . . .
- Being myself is hard because . . .
- I wish I were more . . .
Letter to future self – what would your learners tell their future self?
Create a realistic self view – while some learners feel they are all bad, others feel they are amazing. It seems counterintuitive, but the second group will need some help to realize everyone has growth potential. Gently shape these learners to also see their weaknesses as well as their strengths without squelching their self confidence
Take a step back – electronics spoon feed information, making it readily available. The answers are just a click away. While this is great in some ways, it is not teaching self control, reflection, and the power of doing nothing
Utilize the individual’s passions as a vehicle for addressing self-awareness. If they have a hobby or skill where they are successful, how did they learn the ability to complete aspects of that skill? How did they accomplish goals? How would they support another learner who is at the beginning of this skill learning? Sometimes when shifting the perspective to a teaching role, we can all use creativity in supporting self-reflection skills.
Focus on emotional vocabulary as a tool to support students’ reflections of themselves, whether they are looking at personal achievements in a positive light or a negative light. This is an important skill to encourage, as we all have moments of doubt and moments of high confidence and assurance. Emotional learning is one tool in the toolbelt for supporting self-reflection in daily functional tasks.

A FINAL THOUGHT on self-reflection activities

Mindfulness is not new, but it has resurfaced as people have forgotten how to slow down. Monks have been using this technique for centuries. They can sit for an entire day doing and thinking nothing. They are able to clear their mind for hours. I have tried this and can make it about 30 seconds before my mind is racing. It even races while I sleep. Self reflection takes the same discipline and focus to make it meaningful.

As with anything new and different, change takes time and practice. The act of self reflection itself, can be your first goal!

Use these self-reflection activities for kids to help kids reflect on behaviors and identify coping skills or self-regulation strategies that work in the home or classroom.

Grab the Impulse Control Journal to build organizational strategies, planning, prioritization, habits, and mindset in kids.

Drawing Mind Maps

December 12, 2023November 14, 2022 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

You’ve probably heard of mind maps as a tool for planning, prioritization, task completion, and other executive functioning skills, but have you heard of drawing mind maps? Drawing a mind map is such a fun way to put goals down onto paper and actually accomplishing them. All of this can be done through drawing, doodling, and sketching a drawing mind map!

Drawing milestones is another great resource if you are wondering what ages can use a drawing mind as an executive function strategy.

Drawing Mind Maps

A drawing mind map is a visual diagram used to visually organize information into a picture outline format. By drawing representation of ideas, projects, tasks, drawing mind map users can see the whole picture and individual steps to achieve a main goal.

Much like mind maps in general, a drawing mind map is typically created for a single goal, project, assignment, or even business.

A drawing mind map is a picture of ideas, doodles to clarify, and visual representation of steps to offer support and structure around a single concept. When drawing, doodling, and writing out steps to a large project, we can see the overarching idea or concept in the center of the page, with connecting steps drawn out from that center idea.

You may have used a mindmap in the past by writing out lists, mapping out details, and putting thoughts down on paper.

A mind map is an awesome visual tool that can help kids (and therapists) in many ways:

identify and clarify ideas
pinpoint a starting point- Using task initiation skills
define short term and long term goals
identify steps of a project or task
visualize completion (SO important for mindset)
Get started on a big project or task
Drawing out goal to completion
Identifying steps of a task
Using foresight to predict problems or potential issues
Brainstorming activities
Prioritization tool– identify steps and put them into order
Goal setting
Using “self talk” through drawing
Planning a story
Graphic organizer
Organize thoughts and ideas
Writing a paragraph

The real reason beyond these is when people start out with a project, they are not SMART about it. People are very smart, just not about the way they start projects or set goals. A drawing a mind map can help with incorporating smart goals into actually creating a plan to accomplish goals.

Drawing Mind Maps for Students

Our students create projects similar to the way we set goals. When our learners start a project, it can often feel overwhelming, unclear, and discouraging.

Without proper strategies, learners tend to stare at a blank page, write in circles, give up, or forget half of what is supposed to go into the plan.

Graphic organizers, or project planners, are an excellent way to draw a mind map, start a project, prioritize work, and brainstorm activities.

For flexible learning styles, there are three types of project plans highlighted here.

Some learners will benefit from a large open space to write words, draw pictures, and sketch notes, while others will need more defined space such as the web of circles or note card designs.

Whichever design works for the learners current level, is the starting point. Moving to a more sophisticated design will happen as learners become more advanced.

How to use a Drawing Mind Map

First, you can definitely use this drawing mind map as a visual project planner. But what other ways can you use this tool to support development and target skills like executive functioning skills?

I used a drawing mind map to write my book when I was working on it. It seemed overwhelming, and without a clear goal I might not have met my personal timeline.

I was able to write my project planner into a list with bullet points, however if I were to use this project planner, I would have put the title in the center or larger area, and add the chapters in all of the web spaces or smaller areas.

To use a drawing mind map with kids, you can simply:

Print out the mind map printable below (or head to The OT Toolbox Member’s Club to grab your copy)
Ask the student to think of one goal, one project, or one thing they would like to accomplish.
Ask the student to use a pencil, crayon, markers, or pens to complete the drawing prompts and writing prompts on the mindmap.
Write or draw a goal or concept in the center of the page.
Then add doodles, drawings, representations, words, phrases, etc. to indicate various steps or parts of the larger project or goal in branches from the center image.

The nice thing about drawing as a planning tool is that you can add steps in a braindump fashion. There’s no need to think out the project in sequential order. Simply get the main idea down on the center of the page and then add the steps from there.

Break out the project into different tasks that need to be done.

One tip for those that need to really focus on the brain dump strategy is to just get it all down on paper and then go back and add numbers to order the tasks in a sequence that makes sense.

You can use this tool to support executive functioning skills, AND address other areas in therapy sessions, including the ones listed below.

After a drawing mind map is done, you can use other tools to help with the task competition, or actually achieving each step of the process:

These items are available for free on our site or also available inside The OT Toolbox Member’s Club under executive functioning tools.

Develop Skills with Drawing Mind Maps

This activity moves beyond creating a vision, a goal, or a project. It meets many objectives such as:

Handwriting – letter formation, sizing, spacing, line placement, directionality, spelling
Fine motor – grasping pattern, wrist stability, intrinsic hand muscle development
Bilateral coordination – hand dominance, using “helper hand”, crossing midline
Proprioception – pressure on paper, grip on pencil
Strength – shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, core, head control
Visual perception – scanning, figure ground, line placement, crossing midline, visual closure, seeing parts to whole
Executive function – following directions, attention, focus, sequencing, organization, planning, and task completion
Social function – working together in a group, problem solving, sharing materials and space, turn taking, frustration tolerance, task avoidance, talking about the activity,

Use Drawing Mind Maps for different skill levels

How do I grade this activity?

When I use the word “grade,” I mean make it easier or harder, not give it a letter grade or score it.

Laminate the page for using markers and wipes. This can be useful for reusability and saving resources
Different colored paper may make it more or less challenging for your learner
Enlarging the font may be necessary to beginning handwriting students who need bigger space to write.
Make lines in the boxes to create better boundaries for handwriting. Learners tend to fill whatever size space they are given, often lacking the necessary space to fit all of the words in one box.
Project this page onto a smart board for students to come to the board and write in big letters or collaborate.
Lower level learners can dictate their words to their helper to get the ideas onto the paper
Beginning learners can draw figures instead of writing thoughts
More or less prompting may be needed to grade the activity to make it easier or harder.

The OT Toolbox has a great graphic organizer tool called The Project Plan, to assist learners map out those daunting projects so they can have success instead of failing or becoming discouraged!

Teach your learners to become more organized and less frustrated by using planners to set goals or start projects.

Free mind map exercises worksheets

Want to get started with using a drawing braindump with kids? We have new mind map exercises worksheets to get you started! Simply enter your email address into the form below.

OT Toolbox Member’s Club members can access this printable mindmap exercises worksheets inside the club on our Executive Function toolbox. Be sure to log in and then head to the main dashboard. Then click on the EF toolbox to get your copy.

Executive Function Coaching

June 19, 2023October 24, 2022 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

In this blog we are covering what you need to know about executive function coaching, and how to use an executive functioning coach to best support cognitive skill needs. Whether as an adult with executive function, or a teen or child struggling with development of specific executive functioning skills, coach strategies can be a tool in the toolbox!

executive function coaching

Often when we think of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a high-energy young boy “bouncing off the walls” is what comes to mind. While some cases present that way, it is far from the whole picture.

What many individuals with specific cognitive skill challenges are experiencing, including that energetic little boy, is called Executive Function Disorder (EFD).

Those with EFD characteristics experience difficulties managing activities in their daily life and can benefit significantly from an ADHD executive function coach.

HOW CAN AN Executive Function COACH HELP?

Specifically for attention and focusing considerations, an executive function coach is going to determine how specific challenges related to a diagnoses impacts this individual’s life.

Coaching executive functioning skills might include:

Coming up with executive functioning skill accommodations
Supporting complex tasks like organizing, decision-making, and handling stress
Promoting development of skills such as attention to detail, working memory, and time management
Providing tools to support organization, focus, and reducing distractions
Streamlining functional tasks by creating “cheat sheets”, lists, and visual prompts
Offering supports such as apps
Helping to reduce clutter to limit distractions
Coming up with schedules and plans for functional performance in the home, work, school, or community
Helping clients create a plan for the day or week
Offering tools for emotional support
Providing resources on study skills
Support the client to break down tasks into steps
Supporting the development of mental dexterity in daily tasks

By being very specific about what is happening in the brain and how that is impacting their life, a coach can recommend tailored accommodations for their clients.

An executive function coach recommends great treatment options by being evidence-based. This means that anything they recommend for treatment should be backed by expert knowledge.

Supporting specific diagnoses with an executive Function Coach

The thing about our brain is that we need it to do every task, both big and small!

So, when things like staying on task, doing what you say you will do, meeting deadlines, and essentially functioning…is difficult, we can look at these tasks and see that there are cognitive skills that are needed to accomplish each task.

When you break it down, executive functions refer to the skills of the brain which allow us to manage ourselves…to get things done. These skills include areas like planning, prioritization, working memory, attention, focus, task complettion, etc.

However, executive function also refers to the processing of information in our brain and using that information. As a result we see areas such as managing our emotions, behavioral response, managing distractions, self-fixing to recognize when we are off track so wo can recover and accomplish a task at hand.

These skills allow us to do everyday activities from making a bowl of cereal in the morning to eating the meal, to cleaning up the bowl.

Without executive functioning skills, we end up hungry, living in a messy house, and in unsafe conditions. This is just a simplified example, but you can see how staying focused, problem solving, task completion, and using what we know (working memory) allows us to live as a functioning individuals.

One route to determining how it impacts their life is to fully understand their specific diagnosis. A diagnosis such as ADHD will have certain features that impact executive functioning skills and will differ from a diagnosis such as Down Syndrome which also has features that impact executive functioning. Each diagnosis will present differently, but an executive function coach can support these areas.

Likewise, executive functioning difficulties can present without a diagnosis in place. A coach will support the features of the challenges the individual has, which impact functional performance: school tasks, work tasks, daily life tasks, etc.

Let’s break down how a specific aspects of a diagnosis can be addressed with an executive function coach, based on an example diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

There are three subtypes of ADHD, as characterized by the DSM-5:

1. Predominantly Inattentive

2. Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive

3. Combined Inattentive and Hyperactive-Impulsive

A good executive function coach is an expert in ADHD and will be able to understand which subtype their client has, and how it can affect their daily activities and relationships.

Luckily for practitioners, the subject of ADHD has been of high interest to researchers and funding sources, so there is a good amount of evidence to support claims.

This evidence is sourced from high-quality research articles, information from trusted organizations, and experiences from experts in the field. The best coaches provide for their clients by continuing to adapt as new information becomes available.

What does an Executive Function Coach Do?

Getting specific, executive functioning coaching may support individuals with accommodations, tools, and practice.

A coach will work with a client on developing and using skills to meet executive functioning needs.

Let’s discuss what an accommodation is, and why they are so often used for those receiving executive function coaching services:

There are two main pathways to intervention in therapy: changing the person to better the person OR changing the situation to better the person. Accommodations are used when the situation is being changed.

Executive Function coaching strategies include:

Environmental Accommodations
- Adjusting the environment to increase attention and comfort. This may include different lighting scenarios, auditory adjustments (i.e. noise cancelling headphones, music for attention, limited sound distractions), flexible seating options, or location.
Tools as Accommodations
- Memory and organizational tools such as post-it notes, color-coded items, visual ordering, graphic organizers, etc. (and a coach to initiate and educate on the use these tools)
- Timers, alarms, and schedules to reduce the symptom of time-blindness
- Supports for visual noise
- Specific apps for functioning and task completion. Here are occupational therapy apps that may work.
Adjustments to School/Work Requirements
- Extra time or a separate location for tests, quizzes or other focused work
- Flexible work deadlines
- Movement breaks or “brain breaks”
- Additional processing time and/or multiple opportunities to learn a task

Additionally, an ADHD coach will work with their client to find what works for them in various settings, including:

Attention-specific tools and practices based on what type of inattention is currently inhibited may be trialed for best outcomes.
A Impulse control journal may be educated on and practiced with to reduce impulsive behaviors that are associated with some types of ADHD.
Frequency and types of breaks to promote efficiency and reduce common ADHD burnout.

Executive functioning practice and trial- an EF coach will work with a client on trialing various strategies to see what works and what doesn’t. This can include things such as:

Practicing use of timers, schedules, checklists, etc.
Playing executive function games to develop skills.
Trialing use of Alexa apps to support specific needs in timers, alerts, etc.

WHEN SHOULD I GET An Executive Function COACH?

Executive functions develop beginning in infancy and continue to develop well into adulthood.

Through that development, the symptoms of executive function disorder appear in different ways throughout one’s life. As we grow, our brains become more and more capable of completing complex tasks like organizing, decision-making, and handling stress.

Experts in the field of ADHD believe the same is true for those with executive function disorder – that the brain will continue to naturally develop skills over time, slowly making up for the deficit in functioning.

With that in mind, it’s easy to recommend executive function coaching at any age where the individual is symptomatic. However, as with most therapy, the earlier, the better. The sooner that an individual can learn about themselves, their needs, and what accommodations are helpful for them, the better the long-term outcomes.

As an executive function coach, much is identifying and analyzing problems, identifying solutions, choosing the best supports, selecting a plan of action, and implementing a solution. Then, look at the next problem or see how the solution did or did not work. This sounds a lot like OT, right??

occupational therapy as an executive function coach

You’ve probably noticed throughout this blog post that the many ways that executive function coaching supports daily tasks, performance of functional skills, and environmental considerations. These are all aspects of occupational therapy, making OTs perfect coaches for executive functioning needs!

Sydney Thorson, OTR/L, is a new occupational therapist working in school-based therapy. Her
background is in Human Development and Family Studies, and she is passionate about
providing individualized and meaningful treatment for each child and their family. Sydney is also
a children’s author and illustrator and is always working on new and exciting projects.

Grab the Impulse Control Journal to build organizational strategies, planning, prioritization, habits, and mindset in kids.

The Power of Yet

December 12, 2023September 21, 2022 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

Do you focus on the “power of yet” when helping kids with developing a growth mindset? A subtle mindset shift can do great things when it comes to shifting perspectives. Here, we’re covering what the power of yet means and how to help kids use this strategy in every day tasks with a printable power of yet worksheet.

The power of yet

When we make a decision to learn new things, we are fostering the power of yet.

When we struggle at a task but persist and keep trying, we are putting the power of yet to work.

When we look forward to doing something, we exercise hope and optimism.

All of these examples describe the power of yet!

The power of yet starts with a growth mindset. A growth mindset is “the understanding that abilities and understanding can be developed” (Mindset Works, n.d.).

Those with a growth mindset believe that they can get smarter, stronger, and more talented through putting in time and effort.

According to Susan Jerrell, founder of Time out for Teachers,

The power of yet teaches students:

they can learn
learning takes time and effort
results come from hard work
giving up isn’t an option

the power of yet carol dweck

This way of thinking became popular through the work of Carol Dweck in her book (Amazon affiliate link) Mindset. She teaches about the “power of yet.”

This mindset shifts the focus away from all the things one can not do, to what one can not do YET. As therapists, the population we serve is acutely aware of all the things they can not do. It is easy to get bogged down by shortcomings and endless goal setting. This can be discouraging, and lead to shutdown or failure.

When developing this growth mindset and encouraging the power of yet, be mindful of the four traps to success

People don’t set clear goals (and don’t break down goals to achieve them)
They feel discouraged
They feel overwhelmed
They are not ready to change

Ask yourself, is my learner ready to change? Is this a goal I want for them, or they want for themselves? This might also be a good question to ask of the parents. Are THEY ready for change?

Is it worth all your time and effort to teach your learner to fold laundry, if the parents are just going to do it themselves? Should you problem solve and set endless goals to get your learner out of their parent’s bed, if the parents are really not ready for this change?

Young people may not care about change, or the work entailed in growing may not seem worth all of the effort. In this case, you will need to get creative if this change is important to their growth.

Shoe tying is a great example. This is an important skill, however try telling that to a six year old who just loves his Crocs! In this case, some creative goal setting, and a great incentive at the end might help nudge them along.

Power of Yet Activities

Goal setting IS important, however it is crucial to go about it the right way, or this too will end in failure. The OT Toolbox has some great posts about Goal Setting and Goal Ladders.

Check out this cute video from Sesame Street with Janelle Monae singing about this “power of yet”. This is a great tool to share with young learners about embracing change, and being able to learn new things.

Courtney Ackerman of Psychology Today gives the following tips to teaching the power of yet:

Work on your own growth mindset first. It is difficult to teach the power of yet
Go beyond the “mindset jargon” and inspirational quotes to really focus on what the power of yet means
Praise properly, focusing on their efforts rather than shortcomings or natural talent
Embrace the word “yet;” use the word “yet” with children to give them a sense they can make a change
Take advantage of mistakes children make; be ready to praise them for their efforts but also point out any issues in their approach and brainstorm better ways to handle the situation with them
Let kids fail; another vital part of growth in children is to let them fail instead of showing them how to do everything or saving them from making mistakes. This is part of growth mindset mistakes.

Free Power of yet worksheet

Today’s free printable worksheet teaches learners to embrace what already makes them awesome, along with recognizing the power of yet. I am not able to ride a unicycle YET. I can not speak fluent Spanish YET. I am awesome at riding a two wheeled bike, and can speak moderate Spanish.

Harness the power of yet, set attainable goals, embrace skills along with shortcomings. Use the power of yet printable to brainstorm goals, focus on awesomeness, and develop a plan for growth. From a treatment planning objective, this task goes beyond just introspection and planning for the future.

Use this letter to future self printable as a tool to support goal development and planning for the future and development tool to achieve goals that have not yet been achieved.

Think of the other skills that can be addressed during this activity:

Social/Executive Function – Following directions, turn taking, task completion, orienting to details, neatness, multi-tasking, attending to task, and impulse control
Handwriting- Letter formation – correctly forming the letters top to bottom.
Letter sizing – correctly fitting the letters into the provided space. Spacing, line placement, directionality, and spelling are also addressed
Fine motor skills- strengthening, hand development, and grasping pattern
Scissor skills- Cutting on the line ( if you choose to add this step), within half inch of lines, in the direction of lines
Bilateral coordination – remembering to use their “helper hand” to hold the paper while writing. Using one hand for a dominant hand instead of switching back and forth is encouraged once a child is in grade school or demonstrates a significant strength in one or the other.
Strength – core strength, shoulder and wrist stability, head control, balance, and hand strength are all needed for upright sitting posture and writing tasks.
Social function – working together in a group, problem solving, sharing materials and space, turn taking, talking about the activity

How do I grade this Power of Yet activity?

When I use the word “grade,” I mean make it easier or harder, not give it a letter grade or score it.

Lowest level learners can dictate what they would like written
Middle level learners can write one or two words about their awesomeness and goals

Higher level learners can write an idea about their goals, then create a goal ladder, checklist, or graphic organizer. This turns into a multilevel activity to use during many sessions.
Talk about the the power of yet, growth mindset, setting goals, and introspection/self reflection
Project this page onto a smart board to work as a group
More or less prompting may be needed to grade the activity to make it easier or harder.
Make lines within the larger boxes to provide borders and boundaries to write in. Many learners struggle to write legibly in a large box

Growth mindset is interesting in that some people feel they are flawed and will forever need work, while others believe they are perfect just the way they are. Try and find that balance between the self defeated attitude and the “I am perfect” belief. We all have room to grow and new things to learn.

A therapist I worked with for many years did not say, “practice makes perfect” as things are never perfect. Instead she would say, “practice makes better.”

This resource is also available inside the Member’s Club.

Want to add this resource to your therapy toolbox so you can help kids thrive? Enter your email into the form below to access this printable tool.

This resource is just one of the many tools available in The OT Toolbox Member’s Club. Each month, members get instant access to downloadable activities, handouts, worksheets, and printable tools to support development. Members can log into their dashboard and access all of our free downloads in one place. Plus, you’ll find exclusive materials and premium level materials.

Level 1 members gain instant access to all of the downloads available on the site, without enter your email each time PLUS exclusive new resources each month.

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Join the Member’s Club today!

NOTE*The term, “learner” is used throughout this post for readability and inclusion. This information is relevant for students, patients, clients, preschoolers, kids/children of all ages and stages or whomever could benefit from these resources. The term “they” is used instead of he/she to be inclusive.

Victoria Wood, OTR/L is a contributor to The OT Toolbox and has been providing Occupational Therapy treatment in pediatrics for more than 25 years. She has practiced in hospital settings (inpatient, outpatient, NICU, PICU), school systems, and outpatient clinics in several states. She has treated hundreds of children with various sensory processing dysfunction in the areas of behavior, gross/fine motor skills, social skills and self-care. Ms. Wood has also been a featured speaker at seminars, webinars, and school staff development training. She is the author of Seeing your Home and Community with Sensory Eyes.

Breaking Down Goals

November 22, 2022September 19, 2022 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

Making and keeping goals is hard, but breaking down goals into bite sized, smaller steps can be key to achieving a larger objective. According to an article in Psychology Today, 80% of people’s New Year’s resolutions fail by February! The author goes on to give her thoughts and theories as to why they fail in this article. Breaking down goals into measurable chunks will increase your chances of success.

breaking down a smart goal into steps

So often, we have good intentions when it comes to setting goals for ourselves. But there are many reasons why goals fail, and setting huge, audacious goals can be part of that reason. But for the most part, we can pinpoint four reasons goals fail.

Four traps to goal success:

People don’t set clear goals
They feel discouraged
They feel overwhelmed
They are not ready to change

Do any of these reasons sound familiar?

It makes sense! But, the real reason goals fail, beyond these four things, is when people are drawing a mind map, creating a plan, or a goal, they are not SMART about it. We might make a goal that is lofty, unrealistic, and it’s not specific enough to know where to begin. Let’s take a look at these components to a good goal…

Start by understanding the concept of SMART goals. People are very smart, just not about the way they start projects or set goals.

SMART is an acronym for;

S: specific – did you detail what it is you want to achieve?
M: measurable – how are you going to measure success?
A: is this goal attainable or too lofty?
R: is this goal realistic?
T: timebound – Do you have a set timeframe for this goal to be measured?

First decide if the goals are SMART. Are the goals specific and measurable, or too general? Are they actually attainable and relevant?

Once you have a goal in mind (that can be further broken down), you can move on and actually break down the goals and get started on that first step.

goal oriented mindset

If you or your learners are working on a goal oriented mindset, breaking down goals is a terrific method to improve the likelihood of success. Featured in this post are a specific tool for breaking down goals into measurable chunks. This printable resource supports individuals in using a goal oriented mindset to accomplish tasks they set out to achieve.

In this activity, learners can break down goals to make them more attainable.

Once the larger goal is set, use the goal-oriented mindset strips to break them down.

Decide on the overall goal- At the top write the overall goal: I will clean my room. Make this more specific by adding time frames, steps, ways to measure success, and possibly a reward at the end. A better goal might be worded; I will clean my room, to be inspected every Sunday, and check off at least 8/1o items on the list each week. *Striving for 100% all the time might lead to failure.

Break the goal down into steps- Help your learner decide what the steps might be to achieving this goal. Write each of these steps on the first strip, then staple the second strip on top. Each time a part of the goal is accomplished, your learner will snip off the next piece of paper to reveal another chunk of their goal.

Some of the steps to cleaning a bedroom might be:

Put all dirty laundry in the basket
Take all plates, cups, and other dishes out of room
Put trash in the bin, then empty bin
Put clean laundry away
Put toys in their boxes or back on the shelves
Change sheets
Vacuum
REWARD!

Each one of these tasks is measurable. Make them attainable by changing and tweaking as needed. Having a list like this makes this overwhelming chore seem more doable. If not, you may end up with a kid like mine, who would just lie in the middle of the mess and cry.

Check out this post on writing a goal ladder for another method to achieving goals.

A BIT OF INTROSPECTION BEFORE GETTING STARTED

Before trying to “break down goals” into steps, think about a goal you have recently set for yourself. It could be one that was a great success, or went down in a ball of flames.

Now look back and determine if your goal was SMART. Did it have all the pieces it needed, or was it flawed from the start?

Then recheck and see if you fell into one of the four traps:

People don’t set clear goals
They feel discouraged
They feel overwhelmed
They are not ready to change

A goal was set for me last year to keep the dog off of the bed and couch. It was a miserable failure. Why? I was (and still am not) not ready to change. While the goal was clear, it was not attainable.

Once you have spent a little time on introspection, it is time to share your wisdom and skills with your learner. If you are not able to set and achieve goals, it will be harder to help others to be successful. This goal oriented mindset will not be impossible to teach if you are not great at meeting your own goals, as we are often able to teach others to do what we can not do ourselves.

If this idea of breaking down goals into chunks makes sense, these goal-oriented mindset strips are a great jumping off point to getting organized and working on executive function. How about learning to make and follow checklists?

Our learners know they need to change and grow, but may get stuck in the first step of figuring out what goals to set. Change may seem overwhelming, they are not aware of what they need to learn, or can not think past this current moment to imagine a goal.

Adult goals seem to revolve around the following:

Lose weight
Learn to cook, fish, surf, snowboard, etc
Eat less, or eat healthier
Exercise more
Worry less, or decrease stress
Save more money
Have a better body image

What are some good goals for your younger learners?

Join a team
Clean their room
Write neater
Read more
Make a new friend
Learn a new skill (shoe tying, bike riding, shoot a basket)
Eat more vegetables
Watch less television
Play less video games

Of course these goals would need to be SMART in order to lead to success. Help your learners break down their goals with these mindset strips along with other strategies to develop a goal oriented mindset.

Setting and working on goals is part of executive functioning skills. The OT Toolbox is full of posts on EF. Just type Executive functioning in the search box, or check out this executive function course to get started.

Other resources for kids on breaking down goals include:

As for my goal of not having the dog on the bed or couch, I have written that one off, and decided to focus on something more attainable.

Free Activity for Breaking Down Goals

Above, we shared how to use this printable resource that helps users to break down their goals into bite sized pieces. You can get a copy of that goal breaking activity here. Simply enter your email address into the form below to access this file. Print off the tool and get started with creating goals and breaking them down!

This item is also available inside our OT Toolbox Member’s Club.

Want to add this resource to your therapy toolbox so you can help kids thrive? Enter your email into the form below to access this printable tool.

Level 1 members gain instant access to all of the downloads available on the site, without enter your email each time PLUS exclusive new resources each month.

Join the Member’s Club today!

NOTE*The term, “learner” is used throughout this post for readability and consistency. This information is relevant for students, patients, clients, preschoolers, kids/children of all ages and stages or whomever could benefit from these resources. The term “they” is used instead of he/she to be inclusive.

Executive Function Tests

April 2, 2024August 30, 2022 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

There are many executive function tests out there, but which are the best when it comes to assessing executive functioning skills? Many times, parents and educators ask about testing children for executive functioning skills. Today, we’re discussing how an executive dysfunction test can provide the mental dexterity information needed to support students. Each test covers a range of cognitive skills as part of an executive functioning assessment. Let’s get started!

Executive Function Tests

These executive functioning assessment tools can be used as part of a formal assessment, or used in part as an informal executive function assessment of critical thinking skills. These testing tools can also be included in a full OT assessment.

Assessment tools analyze dysfunction in various EF areas:

Working memory
Organization
Planning and Prioritization
Flexibility
Time management
Response inhibition
Metacognition
Goal completion

When determining a child’s need for skilled occupational therapy services, it is important to collect data through an occupational profile, formal and informal assessment tools, observation, and client/caregiver interview. However, there are a lot of different executive functioning assessment tools available, so it can be hard to determine the best one for you!

Related, check out this blog post on executive function coaching as a way to support individuals through a coaching model.

Executive function tests for therapists, including formal and informal executive functioning assessments.

Executive Dysfunction Test

There are a multitude of different executive functioning assessment tools that vary in their applicable ages, administration type (questionnaire vs. participation-based), and standardization. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, but check out a few favorites to see if one might fit your needs!

The following executive dysfunction tests cover various areas. We’re covering these assessments:

Children’s Kitchen Task Assessment (CKTA)
The Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT)
Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning- 2nd Edition (BREIF-2)
Informal Executive Function Tests

Other assessments for analyzing executive functioning skills (these are not covered in detail here) include:

Trail Making Test (TMT) Form B
Verbal Fluency Test (VFT) – F, A and S
FT Animals category
Clock Drawing Test (CDT)
Digits Forward and Backward subtests (WAIS-R or WAIS-III)
Stroop Test
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)
D-REF. There is also the D-REF, which is free if you are on the Q-Global for Pearson. The “D” is the Delis Executive Function Assessment. It is free and they have six computerized versions.
Brown Scales
Trail Making- This is an app used on an iPad to screen for working memory challenges
Card sorting

The Children’s Kitchen Task Assessment (CKTA)

The Children’s Kitchen Task Assessment (CKTA) is a fantastic non-standardized assessment of executive functioning skills.

The CKTA is geared toward children ages 8-12.

Let’s dissect this particular executive functioning test.

The CKTA asks children to make play dough from a recipe with both words and pictures. The CKTA itself is free, though you do need to make a kit of materials out of common household items. Children are rated based on the level of assistance they require, rather than their quality of performance.

Prior to starting the activity, the child is asked to respond to a few questions, including predicting how much help they will need to perform the activity. The child also responds to questions after participating, including their perceived level of assistance and performance, as well as how they could have done better. This is a great opportunity to develop self-reflection!

Try this executive function assessment using kitchen tasks: Children’s Kitchen Task Assessment.

The Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT)

The Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT) is another non-standardized assessment of executive functioning skills.

The EFPT does not have a specified age range, though with the nature of the tasks, it is best suited for use with ages 14 and up.

During the EFPT, participants are asked to cook stovetop oatmeal, make a phone call, take a pretend medication, and pay pretend bills. Much like the CKTA, the participant is rated on their level of assistance and the participant also completes self-reflection components. Executive functioning skills become even more critical as a child grows up—executive functioning is critical in adulthood!

Try this executive function test, the Executive Function Performance Test.

Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning- 2nd Edition (BREIF-2)

The BRIEF-2 is a standardized, questionnaire-based executive functioning assessment.

There are multiple options for the BRIEF-2: teacher report, parent report, and self-report (ages 11+). The general BRIEF-2 is for ages 5-18, though preschool and adult versions are available for an additional cost.

In completing the BRIEF-2, raters are asked to respond to statements relating to a wide variety of executive functioning skills. In order to increase validity, there are 3 subscales to determine any responses that would decrease validity: infrequency, inconsistency, and negativity.

To view or purchase: BRIEF-2.

Informal Executive Function Tests

There are several nontraditional and informal assessment methods for testing executive function skills.

An informal executive function test can be used for any age. You’ll need an age-appropriate activity that is meaningful and motivating.

Executive functioning is important for nearly every task we complete each day. As a result, it can have an enormous impact on a child’s ability to participate in age-appropriate activities. However, these skills can also be easily assessed through many everyday activities!

Daily tasks such as self-care routines, learning tasks, chores, kitchen tasks, games, or problem-solving tasks, consider these aspects of executive function listed below. These are informal executive performance tests in a very functional strategy, taking into consideration the environment in which the task actually is performed.

Forming ideas to do an action (planning)
Starting an action (task initiation)
Using organization of tools and materials
Maintaining an action until the step is finished and knowing when a step is done (task completion, processing speed, impulse control, attention)
Switching behaviors or strategies to do the next step needed (prioritization, foresight)
Regulating, controlling, and adjusting body actions to deal with changes and new information along the way (working memory, strategizing)
Planning a tactic down the road to deal with a new issue or new direction (planning, cognitive flexibility)
Holding details in the working memory (working memory)
Controlling emotions (self-monitoring, emotional control, emotional regulation)
Thinking abstractly (problem solving, persistence, shift)
Knowing when the whole task is finished, stopping that task, and moving onto a different task or activity (hindsight)

Some simple tasks to assess these skills can be cooking a simple recipe, completing a chore, making a daily “to-do” list, preparing for a party or event, or other tasks that require several steps and a process of planning out tasks.

Executive Dysfunction Tests in Everyday Tasks

The thing about using a non-standardized assessment of executive functioning abilities is that this is where you may see some of the functional performance factors. These are the aspects of daily tasks that look like “struggle”. Some of these skills are very obvious and others are more inconspicuous.

These areas of executive dysfunction are tested and observed in everyday tasks:

Distraction levels
Keeping track of materials
Emotional control
Response inhibition
Sustained attention
Task initiation
Flexibility in task
Rational thinking
Future considerations (Use this letter to future self as an activity idea)
Flexibility
Mindfulness– Ability to manage and be aware of internal thoughts, feelings, emotions
Interoception – including ability to manage mood (to reduce intrusive thoughts), ability to manage fatigue (knowing how to pace oneself and take regular breaks), and ability to manage physical comfort and needs (pain, hunger, thirst)

When in doubt, select an activity and see if you can assess multiple executive functioning skills within the activity! Whether an obstacle course, board game, or a craft, there are so many options to gather “real-time” data on how these skills are impacting a child!

Informal executive dysfunction tests can be anything that is multi-step and a functional, meaningful part of one’s day. Some ideas include:

Cooking a recipe
Folding clothes/towels
Sorting objects
Starting homework (including getting materials from the backpack and returning them when complete)
Making plans in a planner
Making an appointment (doctors visit, dentist, etc.)
Watering plants
Dusting
Shopping
Managing bills

Things to look at include ability to stay on task, managing all of the needed materials, planning out and following through with a task to completion. Take note of things such as:

How much help or assistance is needed?
Do visual prompts help?
Do verbal cues help?
Are one-step directions needed or can you move to two-step directions?
Can several steps be accomplished while thinking of other information?
How long can information be held (working memory)?

Executive Function Tests in the School Setting

Some of these tests that we described above will be used in school based occupational therapy and others will not. For therapists working in school settings, testing for executive functioning skills isn’t always necessary.

Instead, skilled observation or teacher referral (checklists and screening tools) can provide the input needed for the part that executive functioning skills play in completing school tasks.

I know that I have had many consults with educators as part of a collaborative model with executive functioning needs are mentioned. Sometimes simply having the discussion and then trying a few accommodations can support the needs of the student.

Supporting EF needs that impact learning might start with requesting a school based OT evaluation because, while the OT won’t specifically address only executive functioning skills, they will target the functional areas that the student struggles in:

Managing papers
Keeping track of assignments
Organizing a locker or desk
Managing materials and belongings
So many other areas of learning throughout the school day!

It’s really important to remember, and this is something that I find myself reminding parents all the time…that kids are very much in the developmental phase of executive functioning skills during their school years. They are at the toddler or baby phase of working memory, planning, prioritization, organization, and the main thing about this stage is repetition!

Following up the Executive Function Assessment with strategies

Looking for applicable resources to informally test executive functioning skills as well as incorporate executive function activities into daily tasks? The Impulse Control Journal is your printable guide to working through tasks, multi-step activities, and daily issues that impact executive function. Not only does it address impulse control, the journal is a resource in organization, establishing habits and mindset, working through goals, and getting things accomplished.

Click here to access the Impulse Control Journal.

Grab the Impulse Control Journal to build organizational strategies, planning, prioritization, habits, and mindset in kids.

Spring Activities for Executive Functioning

March 21, 2022March 21, 2022 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

Here, we’re covering spring activities for executive functioning skills. Executive functioning has recently become a bit of a buzzword. There’s good reason: parents, teachers, and therapists are more aware of the developmental processes that impacts learning, social emotional skills, functional tasks, safety, and even handwriting. Buzz like a bee, spring into executive functioning, and learn more about this concept and how you can integrate it into your Spring occupational therapy activities!

Spring activities for Executive Functioning

Other seasonal occupational therapy activities can be integrated with these sensory ideas. Include aspects of these Spring OT ideas to create a well-rounded lesson plan this time of year:

For a more exhaustive set of strategies, activities, and ideas, be sure to grab the Spring Fine Motor Kit (PLUS bonus kit which covers everything you need for Spring Break) that is on sale now for just $10. You’ll be loaded up on all kinds of tools that will last all season long.

Spring is such a great time of the year. Flowers blooming, the smell of freshly fallen rain, and increasingly temperate weather for those of us who live in snowy winter areas! This is an opportunity to enjoy some more play outdoors. The start of Spring also can mean a time to develop new goals in the way of executive functioning.

Play is incredibly important for development, especially in the area of executive functioning. Take the opportunity to encourage more complex play in your dialogue with a child. This article discusses the value of open-ended play for executive functioning development.

Interested in learning more about executive functioning? Check out this list of books about executive function.

For a fun way to get kids involved in creating goals and targeting specific executive functions, grab the Impulse Control Journal, a printable pages to document working memory, prioritization, planning, and other executive functioning skills.

Outdoor Spring Activities for Executive Functioning

Going into the outdoors is an amazing spring-time opportunity for executive functioning growth. Simple games like hide and seek encourage children to utilize working memory (remembering where they already looked when in the role of seeker), prediction (where a challenging hiding spot might be), and self-monitoring and impulse control (not giving away hiding spots).

Spring Nature Walk- A sensory nature walk for the family incorporates all aspects of sensory processing but also offers opportunities for building executive functioning experiences in the ways of attention, focus, impulse control, working memory, planning, prioritization. All of these skills can be addressed through conversation, hands-on play, movement, and experiencing the outdoors.

Outdoor Springtime Play- Other activities like hopscotch also present an opportunity to utilize working memory (try increasing the challenge by requiring that they only jump on the odds!) initiation.

Encourage opportunities for open-ended play, such as pretend play using items found during a scavenger hunt. Speaking of, scavenger hunts are a great way to encourage the use of executive functioning skills outdoors! Working memory, planning and organizing, impulse control, initiation, self and task-monitoring, and so on.

Outdoor play is always encouraged, but it gets a lot easier in spring without the need to bundle up in cold climates! There are so many ways to work on executive functioning skills outdoors, so get outside and play!

Spring Indoor Activities for Executive Functioning

Weather sometimes becomes an obstacle to playing outdoors in spring. However, there are many ways to integrate executive functioning into indoor play on rainy days.

Play Memory– This free Spring memory game is a great way to work on executive functioning skills- task completion, planning, working memory, attention, organization, and more. Just print off the free memory game and go!

Scavenger Hunts- Sure, scavenger hunts can be more challenging outdoors, but try making one indoors! You could even require that all of the items start with a certain letter of the alphabet or be a certain color to make it more difficult!

Board games- Board games are another great way to work on executive functioning skills. Some favorites include Outfoxed, cribbage, Ticket to Ride, and Magic Labyrinth.

Cook Spring recipes- Cooking can be another fun activity for executive functioning skills when stuck indoors! Find a recipe that the whole family can make. Split up the components into age-appropriate “jobs” for everyone.

If cooking sparks the interest of a child or teen, try these Spring flower themed recipes and snacks. You can incorporate the benefits of healthy heating with executive functioning skills in the kitchen.

Spring Cleaning- Spring cleaning, anyone? While kids may not love cleaning, it can certainly be helpful for families and a good life skill to learn! Something like cleaning a bedroom is a great age-appropriate task for many kids: taking the items off of the floor and putting them in their respective locations, staying on task, and deciding what “clean” looks like and when to be done!

Spring Chores- Incorporating chores into the daily to-do list might require a chore list or a screen-time list with required tasks before fun activities are done. Try this free screen-time list to monitory chores as part of daily activities.

Whether outdoors or indoors, spring into executive functioning!

Engaging Ways to Improve Executive Functioning Skills

In a previous post , we talked about the use of strategy games as a method to improve executive functioning (EF) skills. While this is a great tool that children and teens can participate in both in and out of the clinic, there are many other everyday activities to promote EF skill development! Here are some more engaging ways to improve executive functioning skills.

Executive functioning skills are an important client factor contributing to successful participation in daily occupations. EF is currently a buzzword, but it isn’t a new idea. Check out a few ways that you can help children and teens develop their EF skills!

Cooking for Executive Functioning Skill Development

Cooking is a great way to work on executive functioning with a treat at the end! Cooking requires many executive functioning skills. Kids need to use impulse control to complete one step at a time and pace themselves, avoid ingesting raw ingredients or eating all of their hard work, as well as prevent injury with sharp or hot tools. They also need to use working memory to recall what ingredients they need after looking at a recipe, as well as recalling the quantity of that ingredient.

Crafts and Projects for Executive Functioning Skill Development

Crafts and projects are another great way to work on executive functioning skills. Does your client have a special interest in the U.S. Presidents? Have them create a board game related to this interest! They will need to keep track of their materials, manage their time appropriately, and consider the perspectives of others who might play their game!

Executive Functioning and Gross Motor Activities

Gross motor and executive functioning activities can go hand in hand. Almost any activity can be adapted to integrate gross motor play! In a large room, a child could look at a list of items, then race to the other side of the room on their scooter to find an object, just like “I Spy” books and games!

Many kids love to make obstacle courses, allowing for the development of initiation (getting started on building, instead of making grand plans and running out of time to make the course), impulse control (try changing the rules on them halfway through! “No touching red pieces!”), and metacognition (have them evaluate what went well, what did not go as well, and what they would change).

Executive Functioning and Daily Routines

Daily routines are a natural opportunity for the development of executive functioning skills. However, this also goes the other direction, because executive functioning is critical for independence in daily routines. Have clients create visuals to support their attention and sequencing of multiple step routines. If a child takes a significant amount of time to complete their routine, have a race to see who can get ready the fastest!

Try a few of these activity ideas to integrate executive functioning skill development in an enjoyable, approachable way! Most of all, have fun!

More Spring Resources for therapy

Spring Fine Motor Kit

Score Fine Motor Tools and resources and help kids build the skills they need to thrive!

Developing hand strength, dexterity, dexterity, precision skills, and eye-hand coordination skills that kids need for holding and writing with a pencil, coloring, and manipulating small objects in every day task doesn’t need to be difficult. The Spring Fine Motor Kit includes 100 pages of fine motor activities, worksheets, crafts, and more:

Spring fine motor kit set of printable fine motor skills worksheets for kids.

Lacing cards
Sensory bin cards
Hole punch activities
Pencil control worksheets
Play dough mats
Write the Room cards
Modified paper
Sticker activities
MUCH MORE

Click here to add this resource set to your therapy toolbox.

Grab your copy of the Spring Fine Motor Kit and build coordination, strength, and endurance in fun and creative activities. Click here to add this resource set to your therapy toolbox.

Play Dough Recipe Without Cream of Tartar

August 17, 2023March 7, 2022 by Colleen Beck OTR/L

This play dough recipe without Cream of Tartar is one of our favorite playdough recipes because it omits cream of tartar, so the dough ingredients are commonly found in the home.

If you’ve been following this site over the years, you’ve seen many of our play dough recipes, one of them being this play dough recipe without cream of tartar. This easy play dough recipe is one that kids can help to make, and to use in occupational therapy interventions. Read more on how play dough benefits child development, and making the play dough is half of the fun!

Homemade Play Dough without cream of tartar

Homemade play dough is a childhood staple. When kids are part of the playdough making process, they are active in the kitchen and can incorporate many executive functioning tasks as well as other skill-building.

But most homemade play dough recipes include cream of tartar as an ingredient. However, purchasing this ingredient is just expensive, and there really aren’t many common uses for cream of tartar except in the playdough recipes.

So, we decided to do some experimentation and come up with a play dough recipe that omits cream of tartar.

Our recipe uses a common ingredent that is inexpensive, but also can be used in other kitchen recipes. So, when you purchase this ingredient, you can use it for other recipes as well, making the purchase a good buying decision.

So? What is our substitute for cream of tartar in homemade playdough?

Lemon juice!

Lemon juice makes a great substitute for cream of tartar in homemade play dough recipes because it’s an easy to find ingredient in most stores and you can use it in so many other recipes. Plus, the lemon juice adds pliability to the play dough just like cream of tartar does.

why is play dough good for child development

Over the years, we’ve used many ingredients to make play dough as a sensory tool. These are all wonderful ways to incorporate various sensory input through sensory play.

One of our most popular playdough recipes is our crayon play dough recipe. But other homemade dough recipes you’ll love include:

All of these various doughs offer sensory experiences through play, using different scents and textures. We’ve strived to create sensory tools through easily accessible and inexpensive materials, mainly using ingredients that are on hand in the kitchen.

When sensory and fine motor play is easily accessible, kids develop skills!

And, playdough is a great tool for developing math skills, too.

Making homemade play dough is a great occupational therapy activity for the clinic, school-based session, or a home recommendation to carryover skills in a family time activity.

Play dough and hand strength

Play dough is a fantastic easy and inexpensive tool to work on hand strength and pinch strength. We previously covered over 30 ways to improve fine motor skills with play dough.

These are great ways to use playdough can be used as a warm up activity or to incorporate palm strengthening exercises into therapy through play.

Another aspect of homemade playdough and fine motor skills includes the mixing and kneading aspects. Pouring, scooping, stirring, and kneading are all very functional tasks that

Whether you are developing fine motor skills, addressing cognitive skills like direction following, or incorporating sensory play into occupational therapy interventions, a simple homemade play dough is the way to go. Play dough has many benefits and there are many ways to use a simple dough recipe into therapy.

Playing with playdough improves fine motor skills such as:

Pinch strength
Eye-hand coordination
Intrinsic muscle strengthening
Separation of the sides of the hand
Pincer grasp
Opposition
Tripod grasp
Wrist extension
Bilateral coordination

All of this occurs through play!

Try these fine motor activities using play dough:

This homemade play dough recipe is great for easy play dough activities like our play dough snakes.
Match colored paper clips with play dough. This is a great pincer grasp, tripod grasp, and separation of the sides of the hand activity.
Improve thumb opposition and address a thumb wrap pencil grasp using play dough and beads in this thumb IP joint activity.
Explore all of the fine motor play dough activities.

Grab our free play dough mats available here on the website (or log into your Member’s Club dashboard to grab these in an instant download).

Free Space Play Dough Mat
Free Ice Cream Play Dough Mat
Free Bird Play Dough Mat
Free Toys Play Dough Mat
Free Astronaut Play Dough Mat
Free City Skyline Play Dough Mat
Free Simple Intrinsic Strength Play Dough Mat

play dough and cognitive development

Play dough can be a great cognitive skill tool, too.

Play dough is a multi-step task. It involves following a recipe, following directions, planning, prioritization, impulse control, working memory, and other executive functioning skills.

Play dough is a great way to develop executive functioning skills while cooking.

Kids can work on safety skills while working in the kitchen to prepare this recipe. There is the heat of the play dough after cooking, and stove safety to consider.

Some users would benefit from using a stove to make the playdough and others may benefit by using an electric skillet in place of the stove.

So, let’s get to the recipe making with our play dough recipe (without cream of tartar)!

Playdough without cream of tartar

To make this playdough without cream of tartar, first gather your ingredients, cooking items, and get started. This is a great play dough recipe to make with kids!

You’ll need just a few ingredients in this playdough recipe withoug Cream of Tartar:

3 cups flour
1 and 1/2 cup salt
3 and 1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp lemon juice
food coloring

How to make playdough without cream of tartar:

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, using a fork to stir. Add the water, oil, and lemon juice and stir until the dough pulls together. Move the wet playdough lump to a sauce pan and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes until the dough forms.

2. Plop the dough onto a clean surface and knead for a few minutes.

3. Separate the play dough into portions and add food coloring. Knead the dough to mix the food coloring. If you are making just one color of play dough, you can add the food coloring to the dough before cooking.

Many times, we want a variety of play dough colors, though, so mixing the food coloring in after the dough has been cooked is one way to get several colors of play dough.

4. Remember that the dough will be very hot to the touch after cooking. Use a dishtowel to mix the baggie so the color is absorbed throughout the dough.

5. Keep the homemade play dough in covered containers/sealed plastic bags. Dough does not need to be refrigerated.

Playdough with cream of tartar

If you do have a jar of cream of tartar, use this play dough recipe:

3 cups flour
1 and 1/2 cup salt
3 and 1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp cream of tartar
food coloring

The same cooking process listed above can be used to make this dough recipe, using cream of tartar instead of lemon juice.

How to get Vivid Colors in Homemade PlayDough

Want the secret to really bold and vivid colors? Use (Amazon affiliate link) Wilton’s gel food coloring. I have a bunch of these that I use for my cookies, and Big Sister had fun picking out the colors she wanted to mix up.

A lot of times, you can find these color sets on clearance (plus add coupons) for a Great discount!

Little Guy had SO MUCH FUN playing with little straw pieces in the red play dough. What a great

Fine Motor Activity for a three year old

This easy safe play dough recipe is great for toddlers and preschoolers, but also younger if closely watching young children.

We used the play dough recipe above, and some cut straw pieces to create a toddler-friendly play dough activity that builds fine motor skills.

Cut the straws into pieces. You can get preschoolers involved with this part of the activity for a scissor skills task.

Then, show your toddler how to poke the straws into the play dough.

He played with this one for a long time…hiding the straw bits in the dough, poking circles, bending the bendable part of the straw… So much fun!

Playdough Play Mats

Use this easy playdough recipe (without cream of tartar) with our playdough mats to add play dough as a handwriting warm-up and then incorporate handwriting skills!

By Audience

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Stopping to Think before Acting

Occupational therapy: A Must to Pause to self-reflect

Struggle with stopping and thinking?

Pausing to Think Red Flags

Pause to Think Worksheets

Self-Reflection Questions

Stopping to to Think Resource

Free Stop to Self-Regulate and Think Worksheets

Self-Reflection Activities

WHAT IS SELF AWARENESS?

Self-Reflection Activities for Kids

reflection about personal development

POSITIVE SELF REFLECTION ACTIVITIES

SELF REFLECTION ACTIVITIES FOR GROWTH

A FINAL THOUGHT on self-reflection activities

Drawing Mind Maps

Drawing Mind Maps for Students

How to use a Drawing Mind Map

Develop Skills with Drawing Mind Maps

Use Drawing Mind Maps for different skill levels

Free mind map exercises worksheets

Free Drawing Mindmap Exercises Worksheets

executive function coaching

HOW CAN AN Executive Function COACH HELP?

Supporting specific diagnoses with an executive Function Coach

What does an Executive Function Coach Do?

Executive Function coaching strategies include:

WHEN SHOULD I GET An Executive Function COACH?

occupational therapy as an executive function coach

The power of yet

the power of yet carol dweck

Power of Yet Activities

Free Power of yet worksheet

Free Power of Yet Activity

breaking down a smart goal into steps

goal oriented mindset

Free Activity for Breaking Down Goals

Breaking Down Goals Activity

Executive Function Tests

Executive Dysfunction Test

The Children’s Kitchen Task Assessment (CKTA)

The Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT)

Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning- 2nd Edition (BREIF-2)

Informal Executive Function Tests

Executive Dysfunction Tests in Everyday Tasks

Executive Function Tests in the School Setting

Following up the Executive Function Assessment with strategies

Spring activities for Executive Functioning

Outdoor Spring Activities for Executive Functioning

Spring Indoor Activities for Executive Functioning

Engaging Ways to Improve Executive Functioning Skills

More Spring Resources for therapy

Spring Fine Motor Kit

Homemade Play Dough without cream of tartar

why is play dough good for child development

Play dough and hand strength

play dough and cognitive development

Playdough without cream of tartar

How to make playdough without cream of tartar:

Playdough with cream of tartar

How to get Vivid Colors in Homemade PlayDough

Fine Motor Activity for a three year old

Playdough Play Mats

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