Executive Functioning Skills Games & Play Activities - Self-Regulation Breaks

Use these Executive Functioning Games and Play Activities to practice executive functioning skills in a fun and interactive way! The activities can be introduced as executive functioning instruction or self-regulation brain breaks. Skills include planning, time management, working memory, self control, flexibility, organization, task initiation, metacognition, attention, and perseverance. Over 30 unique activities for small groups or full classes are included. They include role play, movement, and fun thinking games that help develop the skills kids need!

These games and activities are particularly helpful for kids who need these skills, but need a different and more interactive way of learning the skills.

Digital and Print

This resource comes with a printable PDF version to use as cards or a digital version for Google Slides. This makes it easy to project the cards if you would prefer that instead of printing them out!

Why Teach Executive Functioning Skills?

Executive functioning skills are the basis for planning, organizing, initiating, and following through will all tasks, assignments, and problems inside and outside of school. Many students who forget assignments, are disorganized, can’t complete long-term assignments, have trouble focusing, and experience difficulty with change often have weak executive functioning skills. These are the students who need to be taught explicit skills in order to become successful in school and in life after school. Simply put, executive functioning skills are necessary life skills.

How the Play Activities Work - No Prep!

1. Keep cards on a ring or in a spot for easy access. Pull one out to practice a skill during a transition, as a brain break, during morning meeting, during break time, or any time!
2. Read the card introduction to let students know what skills they are explicitly working on
3. Read the directions, which are scripted out for you.
4. Follow the rest of the directions to play the game as a full group, small group, or in partners.

You can use these activities as interactive brain breaks throughout the day! This gives you a simple, no prep way to integrate executive functioning and self-regulation too.

Games and Play Activities Included

• Freeze (self-control)
• Leader Says (attention)
• Guard Duty (self-control)
• Role Play! (flexibility)
• Robot Take Over (organization)
• Follow the Beat (working memory, attention)
• Perspective Detective (flexibility)
• Escape Room (task initiation, time management)
• Memory (attention)
• Keep the Story Going (flexibility, attention)
• Try Not to Laugh (self-control)
• Secret Item (perseverance)
• Top Secret (metacognition)
• Return It Relay (organization)
• AND MANY MORE! (see preview for full list)

You can put cards on a ring or print them smaller size to keep them in a task box container. These are perfect as brain breaks, morning meeting activities, for small groups, and more.

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© Pathway 2 Success. One license is for the classroom/personal use for one educator and their students. Materials may not be shared with other educators without the purchase of extra licenses. Materials may not be posted on the Internet where they can be publicly accessed. Personal and classroom use only. Please see full terms of use for more information.

Disclaimer: These resources are for supplementary support/education purposes and are not a replacement for education or other necessary supports. Educators, parents, and others who utilize these materials are encouraged to seek out additional support, as needed.