Executive Functioning skills plus more

If you have looked at the resources and activities, I provide on here and carry out with my own daughter then you will know how I try to match them to skills needed to develop and the importance of linking them to your child’s interests. Below is some information on the main areas of learning that are important for children to develop which I have then shown what activities and resources you could use to help your child develop these skills. These skills are important for everyone but as I am home educating and not teaching Isabelle the National curriculum, I feel these areas are a good focus for her learning as they will be used in her everyday life and help develop her independence ion top of her own interests she also learns about.

There are lots of activities and resources you can print free to support the learning below, just click on the printable resources page.

I have also provided a spider diagram that you can print so you can easily remind yourself when preparing activities, the skills to look out for/ plan for.

Main skills.docx

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Executive functioning skills

This is your ability to plan, organise and focus on things. These could be developed through games such as:

Memory games like pairs

Monopoly

Chess

Card games

Minecraft

Sorting games

Brain teasers

Crosswords/word searches.

Practical living skills

This involves your ability to handle money, travel, cook and carry out chores such as cleaning and shopping. These could be developed through:

Everyday visits to the shops

Role playing shops

Giving your child their own chores/helping you

Map reading/ following directions

Personal care

This is hygiene, understanding the importance of exercise and a balanced diet and knowing signs and symptoms of illness and how to look after themselves when poorly. These can be developed through:

Social stories

Cue cards/task cards

Walking/physical games

Following recipes/making food

Body map showing where you could feel pain/illness and what it means.

Jobs skills

As well as your child understanding what job roles there are, they can also learn what skills are needed for these jobs. These could be developed through:

Job role snap/pairs

Looking at jobs in your local community.

Talking about your child’s own interests

People skills

Communication in whatever form is an important skill that will allow your child to get across their own needs and better understand other peoples. These could be developed through:

Play dates

Interactions with family/friends

Role play

Social stories

Games

Self-advocacy

This is where your child learns how to speak for themselves and their own interests. This can be developed through opportunities to engage with friends and family and through social stories as well as being a positive role model so your child can copy those skills.