- By Eden
- Salley
Walk the Line: Improve Inhibitory Control with this Simple Game
This article is part of our weekly series Executive Function Tips for Families.
A Fun and Fast Game That Improves Executive Function skills
Many parents aren’t aware of the connection between physical coordination and executive function (EF), the brain skills that help us pay attention and make good decisions. In fact, in early childhood, physical coordination is foundational to EF skills. So isn’t it time to help your kids play games that build these physical skills? This week we bring you an activity that introduces mindful concentration, balance, and proprioception to physical play. It will help your child learn how to inhibit motor responses and control their bodies, which is a key part of developing EF skills in the brain.
Before we Continue: What is Executive Function?
Executive function encompasses three primary cognitive processes: working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. These mental processes help us plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks successfully.
This Game Builds the Following EF Skills:
- Focused attention: At each game level, your child must concentrate on appropriate start and stop times and locations, as well as “walking the line”. At the highest level, they must also maintain upper-body balance to balance an object on a spoon!
- Inhibitory control: The combination of processes necessary for playing this game (modeling instructions, marking a straight line, and listening to music) promotes mindfulness and encourages your child to focus on moving appropriately throughout the game.
What You Will Need
- 10-15 minutes to play
- A space to play, such as your home, yard, or neighborhood
- Tape or chalk
- Music
- Items to carry, such as spoons with beads or a small ball (optional)
Ready To Play? Game Levels and Step-by-Step Instructions:
- For the first round, choose the right level of play based on your child’s age.
- At all levels, keep the game going until you sense your child’s interest or concentration waning, then stop the music.
Game Level 1- Find Your Spot (2-3 years):
- Draw a line with chalk or tape and place several Xs at different points along the line.
- Have your child stand on an X and explain the following aspects of the game to them.
- Say, “When I say ‘go,’ we are going to walk on this line and stop our bodies when the music stops. Like this!” Model walking until the music stops.
- Let your child try. Have them turn around 180 degrees when they reach the end of the line.
Game Level 2- Traditional Rules (3-4 years):
- Draw a line with chalk or tape and place several Xs at different points along the line.
- Explain the rules: “When the music starts, walk on the line. When it stops, stop your body and stand on the nearest X.”
- Have your child turn around 180 degrees when they reach the end of the line.
Game Level 3- Altering the Line (4-5 years):
- Draw or tape new lines on the ground, such as zigzag or curvy lines, and have your child stand on them.
- Encourage mindful walking by reminding your child to focus on following the lines beneath their feet. Explain: “We’re going to play the game again, but this time we are going to use a new line! When the music starts, try to stay on the new line. It’s okay if you fall off of the line sometimes.”
Game Level 4- Carrying Items (5+ years):
- Repeat Level 2, but have your child try carrying a spoon with large beads or a small ball on it.
- Explain, “When the music starts, your job is to walk on the line, carrying the spoon and trying not to let any beads fall off. When it stops, try to stop your body on the nearest X without dropping any beads.”
- Keep the game engaging by varying the tempo, switching directions, or giving your child other things to carry as they move along the line (e.g., have them balance a small toy on their head, or roll an object on their palm).
After you Play: Talk & Reflect
At the end of each activity, discuss with your child what they noticed about the game. Use language acknowledging the difficulty of the game and ask questions like:
“What did you notice while you were playing the game?”
“What were you supposed to do when the music stopped or started?”
“How did you need to move your body so that none of the beads spilled?”
Additional Ideas & Resources:
- Try drawing unique shapes for your child to follow, like a big swirl.
- Encourage your child to make up scenarios while playing, such as pretending there is water or hot lava on either side of the line!
- Play a variety of songs with different tempos to indicate how fast or slow your child should walk. Encourage them to “step to the beat”.
- Introduce other challenges, such as hopping on one foot or walking heel-to-toe.
- Discuss different animals that move quickly or slowly and have children pretend to be those animals.
