12/02/2026
Executive function is one of the most powerful skills a child develops, but it doesn’t arrive fully formed at birth. Instead, it grows through experience, environment, and the everyday interactions that shape how a child’s brain learns to organise the world.
In the earliest years, infants and toddlers build the foundations of executive function through predictability and attachment. When caregivers respond consistently, children begin to understand that life has structure. Even simple games like Peek-a-Boo are more than fun, they strengthen working memory as the child remembers who is behind the hands, and they nurture inhibitory control as the child waits for the big reveal.
Preschool marks the “Golden Age” of executive function growth. The prefrontal cortex is developing rapidly, and dramatic play becomes a training ground for higher-level skills. When a child plays house, they must remember their role, follow the rules of that role, and set aside their own personality to stay in character. This is executive function in action, memory, flexibility, and self-control all working together.
By the primary years, children are ready to apply these skills in more complex ways. School demands organisation, patience, and social awareness. Whether it’s waiting their turn to speak in class or keeping track of their school bag, they are practicing the very skills that will carry them into adulthood.
Executive function is not a single milestone but a lifelong journey. From peek-a-boo giggles to classroom challenges, every stage builds on the last, shaping the ability to plan, focus, and thrive.
