The last year in education has been, well, downright crazy and our youngest learners struggled to keep up. Research has shown that many children have actually lost ground and are at risk of entering school next year behind their peers. We know that strong Executive Function (EF) skills are at the heart of getting them back on track. It helps with self-regulation, flexibility, persistence, focused attention, and the ability to sit still and listen to directions, skills that are necessary to succeed academically.
What if practicing and learning EF skills didn’t have to wait and happen only in the classroom during the school year? What if your kids could learn these skills through games like hopscotch, mini golf, or even a water balloon throwing contest? Well, they can! And believe it or not, it doesn’t require parents or caregivers to pack up a kid or kids and haul them off to some formal, possibly expensive, location!
Reflection Sciences is here to help! We will be providing an #WhattheEFSummer activity each week for parents and summer programs to try at home or on a playground. The key is to let the children do the activities with just enough guidance and direction that they can do it by themselves. Our #WhattheEFSummer activities are based on current neurological and play research and will be fun for everyone. Our first, Red Light Green Light, can be downloaded here. It includes directions, EF skill(s) focused on, and reflective questions to ask in order to reinforce what they learned during playing. Let’s not let summer brain drain and a year of schooling disruption leave any child behind. AND let’s have fun doing it!
Parents, we have the resources you need.
Check out our Families page for more information on Executive Function and Home-Based Activities to help your child thrive.
