12 Jul Best Apps to Build Executive Function Skills
Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Excellent services, caring therapists.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
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Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
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I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
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Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
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Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
Thanks to both for a job well done... -
Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
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As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
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We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
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Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
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Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
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We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
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We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
Make Your Goals a Game With These Fun Apps
You’ve probably heard it a million times: “Set goals and stick to them!” But sometimes, that’s easier said than done. Let’s be real – staying focused and on-task can be a snoozefest. That’s where gamification comes in. Gamified apps add fun elements like points, levels, and challenges to make achieving your goals feel more like playing a game. In this post, we’ll explore some of the best apps that turn goals into games. From habit trackers to project planners, these tools can help you level up your executive skills like a pro. Ready to unlock your productivity and have fun doing it? Let’s dive in!
Gamifying Your Goals: Fun Apps to Build Executive Function Skills
Want to turn your goals into an exciting game? Apps that use gamification, like Habitica and Forest, make achieving your goals more fun by rewarding you for completing tasks and building good habits.
Habitica – Turn Your to-Dos Into an RPG
Habitica turns your daily tasks and to-do lists into an exciting role-playing game. As you complete real-world tasks like homework, chores, and exercising, you’ll advance your in-app avatar through quests and boss battles.
Gain XP and Level Up
For each task you finish, you’ll gain experience points (XP) and gold to level up your character and progress to more challenging quests. Students report feeling more motivated to start and finish work when they can watch their avatar improve over time.
Join a Party for Accountability
Parties allow you to team up with friends or classmates to achieve goals together. You can see each other’s progress, give encouragement, and even compete to motivate one another. Working with a party helps builds accountability and makes achieving goals feel like a collaborative effort rather than an individual struggle.
Unlock New Avatars and Gear
As you gain levels, you’ll earn gold to unlock cooler avatar outfits, skills, and gear. Customize your character to match your personal style and show off your accomplishments. The possibility of unlocking new items and advancing to the next level keeps the experience engaging and fun.
Overall, Habitica transforms productivity into an adventure. It may seem simple, but for many students, turning work into play can help build the motivation and executive skills needed to achieve both short and long-term goals. Why not give it a try? You have nothing to lose and so much to gain if it helps you level up your habits and unlock your full potential.
Forest – Stay Focused and Plant Virtual Trees
The Forest App helps you stay focused by letting you plant a virtual forest. As you spend time away from your phone, your forest grows. By gamifying productivity, Forest makes motivation intrinsic—you want your forest to thrive.
Forest has helped students build stronger focus and time management skills. As one student shared, “Forest has taught me how to avoid distractions and work for longer periods. My concentration has really improved, and I get so much more done now.” You earn coins for every completed task that you can use to plant real trees with Forest’s partners.
To use Forest effectively:
- Set a timer for 25-50 minutes to focus on work or studying. Put your phone away during this time.
- Start with shorter periods (25-30 mins) and build up as your focus improves.
- Check on your forest’s progress to stay motivated for your next session. See your trees get bigger and your forest expand over time.
- Use the coins you earn to plant real trees. This gives purpose to your productivity and motivation to continue improving your skills.
- Invite friends to join Forest. Compete to have the biggest, healthiest forest and support each other’s progress.
Forest gamifies productivity in a simple yet impactful way. By building your virtual forest one focused session at a time, you’ll strengthen your ability to avoid distractions and achieve your goals. Let Forest turn your productivity into an engaging game. Your focus and forest will thank you.
Zombies, Run! – Outrun Zombies While You Exercise
The Zombies, Run! app turns your workout into an immersive game where you have to outrun zombies and complete missions to help your town survive an outbreak.
Use It to stay Motivated
As you jog, the app plays an unfolding story about outrunning zombies and recovering supplies to build up your town. The game features 200+ missions to keep you engaged as you work to beat your personal best times and distances. Many users say the app’s gamification of exercise has kept them more motivated to get out and run.
Track Your Progress
The app also tracks your speed, distance, and calories burned to help you see your progress over time. You can compete against friends by sharing stats and challenging each other to beat new records. Studies show that gamification and social features like these can encourage the development of executive skills such as goal-setting, task initiation, and persistence.
Customize the Experience
Zombies, Run! offers different game modes for walkers, joggers, and runners. You can turn on a “zombie chase” feature to make the undead sound like they’re gaining on you for an extra burst of speed. The app works with most GPS fitness trackers and smart watches so you can track your workout details on your wrist.
Overall, Zombies, Run! takes the boredom out of exercise by transforming your workout into an engaging game. The app’s blend of story, goals, and real-time feedback helps build the motivation and skills you need to establish and stick to a regular fitness routine. Outrunning zombies has never been so much fun!
Duolingo – Learn a Language While Gaming
The popular language learning app Duolingo makes picking up a new language fun through short, engaging lessons and challenges. As you complete lessons, you earn points and level up, unlocking new skills and progressing to higher levels. This gamification of language learning helps build motivation and perseverance.
Duolingo offers short, bite-sized lessons to help you learn vocabulary and grammar. Lessons incorporate images, audio, and speech recognition to teach pronunciation and listening comprehension. The app tracks your progress and streaks to keep you coming back. As you complete more advanced lessons, you can earn lingots (in-app currency) to unlock bonus skills.
Many students have found Duolingo improved their self-regulation and task initiation. The app’s streak feature encourages daily practice to build habits. Earning points and leveling up activate the brain’s reward circuit, increasing motivation and persistence. Over time, these executive functions are strengthened through repeated use of the app.
While Duolingo may not make you fluent, it can teach you practical language skills and the basics of a new language. The app is free to use and offers over 20 languages, including Spanish, French, Japanese, and Chinese. If you’re looking for an easy, engaging way to learn a new language, give Duolingo a try. The game-like features will challenge you and build vital executive functions along the way.
EpicWin – Level Up Your Real Life
Once you’ve set your goals, EpicWin helps make achieving them fun by turning your tasks into quests and your life into a game. As you complete chores, homework, and habits, you’ll earn experience points and level up your character. The app’s retro 8-bit style gives it an old-school gaming feel that appeals to all ages.
EpicWin’s gamification has proven effective for building executive skills. One user said, “My son has improved his time management and planning abilities. He now breaks down bigger tasks into smaller milestones to keep himself progressing.” Another noted, “It has really helped my middle school student with motivation and task initiation. He sees it as playing a game rather than doing chores.”
Epic Win also transforms your to-do list into an adventure. Check off tasks to slay monsters and complete quests. The whimsical design makes productivity feel like play. Users say Epic Win teaches them better planning and prioritization in a fun, rewarding way.
To get started, create your avatar and add quests for your responsibilities, hobbies, self-care, and anything else you want to achieve. Check off tasks to gain XP, earn rewards, master skills, and advance levels. Compete with others on global leaderboards for extra motivation. EpicWin makes real-life goals feel more compelling and helps you build the discipline to accomplish them. Why grind through your to-do list when you can go on an adventure?
With regular use, EpicWin strengthens your ability to organize tasks, manage time, initiate work, and follow through on commitments—all while keeping things light and fun. Who knew leveling up in life could be so enjoyable? Challenge yourself and get started on your quest for building executive function today.
SuperBetter – Accomplish Missions to Boost Resilience
SuperBetter is an app that turns resilience-building into an adventure. You complete quests and missions to boost skills like optimism, courage, and determination. As you progress, your powers and abilities increase, motivating you to accomplish more challenging quests.
SuperBetter has helped many users strengthen their executive functions through gameplay. For example, high school student John struggled with time-management and task initiation. He used SuperBetter to break downbig assignments into manageable “quests” with deadlines, earning points and leveling up his character as he completed them. Over time, John built the habit of tackling tasks proactively rather than procrastinating.
SuperBetter also builds emotional regulation through “power-ups” and “bad guys.”For instance, if you’re feeling stressed or anxious, you can activate a “power-up” like taking deep breaths to regain your calm. The “bad guys” represent negative thoughts you need to overcome to progress. Defeating them gives you strategies to maintain an optimistic mindset.
While SuperBetter may seem frivolous, its impact on resilience and wellbeing is supported by research. Studies show regular players experience decreased anxiety and depression, increased optimism and self-efficacy.
If you or your students struggle with motivation, time-management or emotional regulation, try SuperBetter. Turn life’s challenges into a game and build the executive skills to achieve your goals. Complete quests, defeat bad guys, earn power-ups and level up your abilities. Before you know it, resilience and a growth mindset will become second nature. What are you waiting for? Your adventure awaits!
Make It a Game – Tips to Gamify Your Goals
Turning your goals into a game is a great way to build motivation and executive skills. Gamification uses game elements like points, levels, challenges, and rewards to make achieving goals more engaging. Several apps take advantage of gamification to help you level up your time management, task completion, and goal-setting abilities.
For example, Habitica lets you create a customizable avatar that levels up as you complete tasks and habits. You earn coins, gear, and pets to motivate you along the way. Students report the app helps them build better focus and consistency.
To make the most of these game apps:
- Set small, concrete goals to start and increase the challenge over time as you level up your skills. This scaffolding builds success and motivation.
- Check in daily and hold yourself accountable. Aim for at least one quest or challenge each day to keep progressing.
- Celebrate wins, no matter how small. The rewards and positive reinforcement will keep you engaged for the long term.
Gamifying your goals can transform chores into an exciting challenge. With regular practice, these apps make executive functions feel less like work and more like play. Why not give it a try? Level up your life and have fun doing it!
Conclusion
You don’t have to trudge through boring to-do lists to get stuff done. With the right apps, you can turn your goals into a fun game that builds your focus and motivation. Instead of dreading your tasks, you can level up your executive skills while crushing your quests. So grab your phone, pick an app, and let the games begin! Who knows, you might end up with straight A’s and a clean room in the process. Just don’t get too distracted with all that leveling up – your real-life goals should come first. But if you play it right, these apps could be the best game you’ve ever played.
Craig Selinger
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