In an embodiment, a computer system instantiates a parent activity configured for execution in a continuation based runtime. The parent activity includes various child activities configured to perform pulses of work. The parent activity is also configured to add execution properties to an execution context. The computer system adds execution properties to the parent activity's execution context to generate a modified execution context which includes execution properties that extend the functionality of the parent and child activities. The added execution properties include corresponding identifiers that identify the added execution properties. The computer system also executes the parent activity including the various child activities within the modified execution context in the continuation based runtime. The modified execution context includes the added execution properties that are available to the parent and any child activities during execution, where at least one child activity implements functionality provided by the added execution properties.