Executive Function Activities for 6- to 18-Month-Olds

This resource is quite the find! It’s chock full of great ideas to share with families about ways to “encourage infants to focus attention, use working memory, and practice basic self-control skills”—core components in the development of executive function and self-regulation. The suggestions the authors provide range from lap, hiding, and copying games to simple role plays, finger plays, and conversations. Many of the ideas will sound familiar and serve as a great way to reinforce the importance of supportive, responsive interactions between adults and children. They can also help parents recognize the incredible brain-building benefits of activities they already enjoy doing with their young children.

The ICC-Recommended Early Start Personnel Manual (ESPM) describes core knowledge and role-specific competencies needed for early intervention service provision, incorporating current research and evidence in the field of early intervention. To access the ESPM, click here.

This resource is related to the following ESPM knowledge-level competencies:

Core Knowledge (CK):
- CK2: The role of primary social and emotional relationships as the foundation for early learning.
- CK5: The importance of play as context, method, and outcome of learning.
Individualized Family Service Plan Development and Review (IFSP-DR):
- IFSP-DR5 (EIS): Understands the rationale for the identification and selection of intervention strategies used in everyday routines, relationships, activities, places, and partnerships for early intervention activities (or justification of the extent to which some outcomes cannot be achieved in a natural environment).
Individualized Family Service Plan Implementation (IFSP-i):
- IFSP-i5 (EIS): Understands issues related to English language learning and maintenance of home language.
- IFSP-i6 (EIS): Understands the need for developmentally appropriate strategies (for example, hands-on, experiential, child-centered, play-based activities within daily routines), adaptations, assistive technologies and other supports that maximize the child’s learning opportunities.
- IFSP-i13 (EIS): Understands the importance of bilingual/bicultural staff members, service providers and community resources and their role on the team.