What is executive function?

Executive function is a term used to describe critical skills needed to be successful in school, social interactions, and later, in the workforce. We start learning executive function skills in the early childhood years and refine them during adolescence and young adulthood. Executive function is comprised of three core sets of skills - working memory (the ability to retain in your memory the “what” and “how” to accomplish a task), inhibitory control (the ability to control impulses and pause before acting), and mental flexibility (the ability to change gears and problem solve when the unexpected occurs). Think about how often you need these skills in your own adult life - and you started learning them before you could tie your shoes!

Families support the development of executive function in very young children through play and social interactions. Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child has a wonderful library of videos and briefs describing executive function, how we can support it, and how trauma negatively impacts this development. Follow this link for a 5 minute overview of executive function and how it develops through play.