![]() You can also find the LW4K team’s favorite movies and other digital media at SmartFeed.Ĭommon Sense Media is another good resource for finding the films and games that are most appropriate for your family.The Bible warns us that if we do not have self control, we will be slaves to what controls us. Fortunately, most comedies end on a positive note, so either some good decision-making or serendipity allows the main characters to be happy and successful in the end.Ĭheck out our friends at to find many recommendations for movies (and books, games, and tv shows) that can help your children learn. Lessons gleaned from this kind of comedy are most valuable if you have an opportunity to talk about them after watching. Not only can this provide a clear guide of “what not to do,” it can also help children who have trouble being objective loosen up and laugh at themselves. Many comedies make light of the characters’ lack of self-awareness, working memory, time management, focus, planning, or organization skills creating or exacerbating difficult situations. Watch a comedy where poor executive function skills cause problems for the main characters. This conversation should give you many opportunities to bring up the skills and attributes of movie characters and how they relate to formal executive functions, critical thinking, and emotional literacy skills. Talk about what makes the characters meaningful to you and what kind of journeys they take. Discuss what you learn from a movie, why you like it, and what makes a good movie in general. Starting a discussion about favorites is a great exercise in self-awareness. Encourage your child to tell other family members about their experience at the movie theater and use that as an opportunity to talk about some of the executive function and problem-solving skills that were evident in the movie.įind your favorites. Go to the theater, get some candy and popcorn, and be sure to discuss the movie before and after watching it. While the vast majority of movies are watched at home these days, one way to emphasize the importance of the medium is to make an event out of viewing. Video games will carry additional executive function exercises - check out our Playbook archive to learn more. Read the books and comics together and discuss similarities and differences in the story and characters. Use this source material as an opportunity to build upon lessons found in the movies and even expand your child’s interests. Many movies are based upon books, comics, video games, and even popular toys. Just raising their awareness about certain themes helps strengthen those connections and turns a favorite pastime into a learning experience. If you find a movie that your child absolutely loves, watch it a few times yourself so you can point out some of the executive function and social/emotional learning skills portrayed by the main characters. Many kids can watch their favorite movie dozens of times and can readily recall the quotes, sing the songs, and imitate the characters. You won’t even need to prompt your child with executive functioning problems, they’ll naturally want to get involved. ![]() Engage in a family discussion about important themes in the movie. Some family-friendly examples are Finding Dory (working memory, self-awareness), Kung Fu Panda (focus, flexibility, self-control) and Zootopia (flexibility, self-awareness). Set aside one night a week to watch a popular movie together that provides some underlying lessons and models for improving executive functioning and social emotional learning skills. ![]() The best way to capitalize on the power of TV and movies is to watch along with your kids. Here are a few ideas for using movies as learning tools that improve executive functioning skills.įamily movie night. The trick is capitalizing on the incredibly engaging nature of passive entertainment. You don’t need to be told that they can capture your child’s attention quickly and easily. What we don’t talk about as much is the fact that movies and television can also be useful tools. If you follow the LearningWorks for Kids blog, you’re most likely a believer in the power of video games as teaching tools, and you see us talk about it all the time. Of course, a child is far more likely to learn and develop when you have their undivided attention. For other children, a more direct instructional approach that includes modeling, discussion, and practical opportunities is necessary to develop these skills. ![]() For these kids, simple human interaction - observing others and interacting with their family members - is all they need to develop skills such as organization, planning, and self-control. Developing and improving executive functioning skills comes naturally to some children.
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