Cognitive Roots Coaching
FREE RESOURCE FROM ASHLEY MONTIJO, OTR/L
Games You Already Own, Rebuilt to Grow Flexible Thinking
Simple twists on some of your child's favorite activities to help them roll with the unexpected.
This isn't a new set of toys to buy. It's a small twist on games your family already plays, built by a pediatric OT to help your child practice shifting gears in a low stakes, playful way.
Get the Guide
If your child falls apart when a plan changes, you are not alone
A plan changes. A rule gets bent. A sibling does something a little differently than expected. And suddenly things fall apart. That reaction has a name: rigid thinking, and it is common.
Cognitive flexibility, the ability to shift gears when something unexpected happens, is one of the skills I work on most with the kids and teens I see. Practicing it in a low stakes, playful moment builds the same mental muscle your child needs for the harder moments, the ones that happen outside of a game.
Practicing flexibility here, in a low stakes, playful moment, builds the same mental muscle your child needs for the harder moments.
WHAT'S INSIDE THE GUIDE
Three activities to build flexibility with things you already have in your house
Each one comes with a small twist. The challenge is adjusting, not learning something brand new.
One thing to keep in mind: expect some grumbling. That is the skill being built, not a sign the game is not working.
1. Flexible Drawing
A spinner game that turns a simple drawing into a series of small, playful surprises your child has to adjust to on the spot.
2. Uno with a twist
New house rules layered onto a game your family already knows, so the challenge is adjusting, not learning something new.
3. Board game with a twist
Simple rule changes for games like Candyland or Sorry, built for younger kids who are just starting to practice flexible thinking.
YOUR GUIDE
Hi, I'm Ashley.
I'm a pediatric occupational therapist and executive function coach. I've spent years working with kids whose brains work differently, and with the parents who love them deeply but feel like they've run out of ideas.
One thing that makes this work: tell your child what you are doing before you start. Say something like, "we are going to practice being flexible today." That way the game has a stated purpose, and your child understands what the wobbly, uncomfortable feeling is actually building.
Cognitive Roots Coaching · Ashley Montijo, OTR/L · cognitiverootscoaching.com
