Supercharge Executive Function Through Movement: Why It Matters & How to Do It

In early childhood, we often focus on helping children sit still, listen, and follow directions. But what if we told you that the best way to support these skills isn’t stillness, it’s movement.

At Kids Heart Pilates, we understand that movement is one of the most powerful ways to activate and strengthen a child’s executive function, the brain’s control centre responsible for planning, self-regulation, memory, and decision-making.

What Is Executive Function?

Executive function is a set of higher-order cognitive skills that help children:

• Focus attention

• Remember instructions

• Control impulses

• Shift between tasks

• Make thoughtful decisions

  
  

These abilities are critical for learning, emotional regulation, social interactions, and daily functioning. Without them, children may struggle to follow routines, solve problems, or manage frustration especially in stimulating or unpredictable environments.

Why Movement Helps

Movement engages multiple areas of the brain at once. Activities that involve sequencing, reaction time, and decision-making light up the same neural networks used for executive tasks. When children move with purpose, responding to cues, remembering steps, and adjusting their actions, they’re actively building cognitive strength.

In fact, a 2021 systematic review of 49 studies found that physical activity in real-world settings (like games, sports, or PE) significantly improved executive function in children and adolescents.

Here’s what they found:

• Structured exercises with clear steps (e.g., obstacle courses) improved self-control.

• Unpredictable games (e.g., team sports) enhanced flexible thinking and planning.

• Sequenced and varied activities had the strongest long-term benefits.

  
  

Practical Strategies: Brain-Boosting Movement Games

You don’t need fancy equipment to support executive function through movement just a bit of creativity and intention. Here are a few of our favourites:

🟡 Simon Says -Movement Edition

Targets: Working memory, inhibitory control, attention

How does it work?

Give movement commands prefaced with “Simon says” (e.g., “Simon says jump on the spot”), encourage children to only perform the movement if that phrase is used. If “Simon says” is omitted, they must inhibit the response. Build on the number of instructions you include "Simon says to jump from two feet and landing on one foot"

Why it works: Children must listen, filter instructions, and remember steps before acting. Add multi-step directions as they progress.

🟡 Traffic Light Freeze

Targets: Impulse control, response inhibition, memory

How does it work?

Assign actions to red (balance on one foot), yellow (walk), and green (run). Children move around through an obstacle course or space adjusting speed or freezing based on the verbal cue or visual signal.

Why it works: Kids must remember what each colour means and stop or change speed accordingly building regulation and reaction skills.

🟡 Treasure Hunt with Clues

Targets: Planning, working memory, sequencing

How does it work?

Children are given a set of physical clues or tasks at each station (e.g. Pictures of animal like bear crawling) that lead them to the next location or item. Increase difficulty by adding steps or requiring recall.

Why it works: Children receive clues they must remember and follow in order, helping them practice step-by-step thinking under pressure.

🟡 Opposite Actions Game

Targets: Cognitive flexibility, self-regulation

How does it work?

Give commands where children must respond with the opposite action (e.g., If I say ‘go,’ you stop”).

Why it works: Children must do the opposite of what’s said, challenging them to override instinct and shift thinking quickly.

When to Use These Activities

These movement-based executive function boosters work well in:

• Classroom transitions or brain breaks

• Therapy warm-ups

• Kindy and early learning centres

• Home play routines

• Outdoor group games

  
  

What This Looks Like at Kids Heart Pilates

At our sessions, movement is never random. We embed executive function challenges into everything we do whether it’s a game of red light/green light or an obstacle course with memory steps. Children learn to pause, plan, adapt, and follow through all while having fun and feeling successful.

For Educators & Therapists

If you're an educator or allied health professional, you can learn more through our:

• MoveMentor program (for educators)

• Early Years Curriculum

• PD courses for allied health (OTs, EPs, speechies, etc.)

We provide resources, activity guides, and frameworks to help you embed brain-based movement into your day with confidence and clarity.

Move to Think, Move to Grow

Executive function can’t be drilled into kids through worksheets or lectures, it’s developed through doing. Through play. Through movement. Through decision-making and trying again.

When we move with purpose, we think better. Let’s help children build stronger brains by giving them the space, support, and opportunities to move and grow.

📩 Want support implementing this in your setting?

Reach out or explore our programs for families, educators, and therapists. We’re here to help you build confident, focused, and resilient little humans one step (and hop!) at a time.