EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS

Jun 09 2025SCIENCE

How Magic Stories Boost Kids' Thinking Skills

Young kids often struggle with understanding false beliefs. This is because they have a hard time seeing things from another person's perspective. It is like they have a reality bias. They find it hard to think about what someone else might believe if it is not true. This is a big part of how kids think and learn. Researchers wanted to see if magical or fantasti...

reading time about 1 minute
Feb 14 2025EDUCATION

How Smart Thinking Helps Kids in School

Ever noticed how some kids sail through school while others find it tough? It turns out that how kids tackle certain thinking tasks might play a big role in their school success. Researchers wanted to know more about something called executive functions. These are like the brain's control center, helping us plan, stay focused, and manage multiple tasks. They tested ...

reading time about 1 minute
Dec 15 2024SCIENCE

How Working Memory Helps Kids Solve Puzzles

Kids grow up learning to figure things out in two main ways: inductive reasoning, where they make guesses based on what they see, and deductive reasoning, where they use rules to solve problems. Both of these skills depend on something called executive functions, which include working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility. But which of these is most important...

reading time less than a minute
Dec 07 2024SCIENCE

Learning to Adapt: How Mental Agility Helps Our Motor Skills

Have you ever tried to learn a new skill, like playing the piano or riding a bike? It's not just about physical practice; your brain plays a big role too. Scientists have discovered that our mental abilities, known as executive functions, can significantly impact how well we learn new motor skills. Executive functions include things like planning, problem-solving, an...

reading time about 1 minute