🧠 What Is Executive Functioning?

Executive functioning (EF) refers to a group of mental processes that help the brain organize behavior and direct attention, emotion, and action toward a goal. These skills are supported by the prefrontal cortex and continue to develop into early adulthood.

According to leading researchers Drs. Zelazo, Blair, and Willoughby, executive functioning includes three core components:

• Working Memory – holding and manipulating information in the mind
• Inhibitory Control – resisting impulses and distractions
• Cognitive Flexibility – shifting perspectives or approaches as needed

These foundational skills support more advanced executive functions such as planning, organization, and emotional regulation.

🎯 Why It Matters in Everyday Life

Executive functioning influences how a child:

• Follows routines and directions
• Transitions between tasks or environments
• Responds to frustration or change
• Organizes materials and time
• Manages attention and emotion

When EF is underdeveloped, children may struggle to keep up—not because they aren’t capable, but because they need scaffolding for self-management.

🔍 The Connection Between Sensory Processing and Executive Function

Executive functioning cannot be fully understood—or supported—without acknowledging sensory processing. These systems are intertwined:

• A child who is overwhelmed by sound or touch may have difficulty accessing EF skills during transitions
• Under-responsive children may seem inattentive or “zoned out,” affecting working memory
• Sensory overload can directly impact a child’s emotional regulation and inhibitory control

When a child’s sensory system is disorganized, the brain must focus on basic regulation before it can manage planning, shifting, or memory-based tasks.

That’s why sensory integration is a critical piece of our EF intervention at MPOWERME.

🌱 Executive Function Can Be Strengthened

EF skills are teachable and responsive to experience. Supportive environments help the brain build new connections through repetition, play, and meaningful engagement.

At MPOWERME, we use:

• Sensory-informed play to build flexibility, working memory, and self-regulation
• Visual supports and movement breaks to reduce cognitive load
• Problem-solving games and structured challenges to promote persistence and planning
• Body-based strategies like proprioceptive input and breathwork to create neurological readiness

Our approach is always personalized to a child’s needs and strengths.

👪 How Families and Educators Can Help

Support at home and school is powerful. Consider:

• Breaking multi-step tasks into clear visual parts
• Building consistency through predictable routines and flexible expectations
• Using tools like timers, checklists, or visual schedules
• Providing sensory support before asking for complex executive functioning
• Encouraging self-reflection through modeling (“What’s our plan here?”)

When caregivers, educators, and therapists work in partnership, children gain access to the skills they need for long-term independence.

💬 From Our Team to Yours

Executive functioning is not about perfection—it’s about growing the capacity to pause, plan, and persist. These skills take time, repetition, and support.

By recognizing the overlap between sensory processing and executive functioning, we help reduce frustration, increase engagement, and create space for every child to feel successful.

“When we look beneath the behavior, we often find unmet needs. When we meet those needs with understanding and strategy, we unlock the child’s ability to grow, engage, and connect.”

🔜 Coming Soon in This Series

• Time Management for Children: Tools and Activities
• Emotional Regulation Through Sensory Play and Movement
• Helping Kids Build Mental Flexibility and Follow Through

Together, we’ll explore practical tools that blend neuroscience, child development, and real-life parenting, because executive functioning is foundational, and your child is capable.