Building Stronger Brains Through Planning and Prioritization

Planning and prioritization are core executive function skills that help children figure out how to reach a goal, what steps to take, and which tasks matter most. Rooted in the prefrontal cortex, these skills enable children to organize their thoughts, make decisions, and carry out tasks with increasing independence. Strengthening planning skills not only improves learning but also builds resilience, problem-solving, and confidence. 

Why Planning & Prioritization Matter for the Brain 

When children practice planning, they engage brain circuits that support sequencing, decision-making, and working memory. This includes:

• Prefrontal cortex: Organizing, planning, and prioritizing.

• Parietal cortex: Sequencing and step-by-step thinking.

• Hippocampus: Remembering past experiences to guide future actions.

These networks work together to help children visualize an end-goal, decide what’s most important, and follow through.

Executive Function Skills Strengthened by Planning & Prioritization 

📝 Planning (Visually and Verbally)

Children strengthen neural connections by describing or drawing out steps. Example: creating a checklist for homework or chores.

🚦 Figuring Out Where to Start and How to Finish

Learning how to identify starting points reduces overwhelm and supports task initiation. Example: “First gather all the supplies, then begin.”

👩‍👦 Participating in Simple Planning with Adult Guidance

With support, children learn sequencing skills that build toward independence. Example: planning snack preparation together.

🔄 Completing Steps of a Task with Adult Support

Breaking projects into smaller steps helps reinforce working memory and persistence. Example: setting the table step by step.

🌱 Making Simple Plans with Beginning, Middle, and End

Children gradually develop independence by structuring tasks. Example: planning a story with an introduction, middle, and conclusion.

✅ Following Through with Minimal Guidance

As skills strengthen, children learn to execute their plans more independently, reinforcing persistence and cognitive flexibility.

🎯 Identifying the End Goal

Focusing on outcomes builds goal-directed persistence and teaches children how to evaluate progress. Example: recognizing that the goal of homework is not just finishing quickly, but completing it carefully.

Tips for Parents to Support Planning Skills 

Use visual planners or calendars to map out tasks together.

Model your own planning process, showing how you decide what to do first.

Ask guiding questions: “What do you need first? What’s the end goal?”

Celebrate small steps to reinforce persistence and effort.

Encourage independence gradually - start with shared planning, then let your child take the lead.

Strengthening Pathways for Future Success 

Every time a child practices planning—whether making a checklist, deciding what to do first, or finishing a project - they are building neural pathways in the prefrontal cortex that support organization, decision-making, and independence. These executive function skills provide the foundation for academic achievement, problem-solving, and life-long resilience.