Childhood Map

Discover the amazing things 5-year-olds are learning — from climbing and jumping to friendships, feelings, and first words on a page. Each skill comes with fun activities you can try together.

Physical & Motor 8 › Sensory 8 › Executive 7 › Cognitive 6 › Language 5 › Communication 5 › Emotional 5 › Social 6 › Self-Care 7 › Literacy 4 › Math 5 › Creative & Artistic 5 › World & Science 5 ›
by Robert Pankowecki
Executive Functions

Higher-order cognitive processes that enable goal-directed behavior, self-regulation, and adaptive responses — the strongest predictor of school readiness.

Sources (7)
  • Diamond (2013) Executive Functions research
  • Miyake & Friedman (2012)
  • Zelazo (2015)
  • Tools of the Mind Curriculum
  • Head Start ELOF (Approaches to Learning / Cognitive Self-Regulation)
  • NAEYC
  • Polish IBE Research (Funkcje Wykonawcze)
7 Subdomains
Inhibitory Control › Working Memory › Cognitive Flexibility › Planning & Organization › Emotional Regulation (Hot Executive Function) › Self-Monitoring & Metacognition › Initiation & Task Engagement ›
Cognitive Flexibility

Shifting between different rules, perspectives, or ways of thinking when circumstances change.

Examples & Achievements

  • Switches to a new sorting rule when asked (e.g., sort by color then by shape)
  • Adjusts behavior when rules of a game change
  • Accepts changes to plans or routines without major distress
  • Comes up with a different solution when the first one does not work
  • Understands that the same object can belong to multiple categories

How to Measure

  • Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) task
  • Flexible Item Selection Task (FIST)
  • Observation of response to unexpected schedule changes (teacher report)
  • Can name two different categories an object belongs to (e.g., apple is fruit AND red thing)
Sources (2)
  • Diamond (2013)
  • Zelazo (2015)

Childhood Map › Executive Functions

Cognitive Flexibility

Shifting between different rules, perspectives, or ways of thinking when circumstances change.

Examples & Achievements

How to Measure

Sources