Executive function (EF) refers to the set of core self-regulatory skills required for deliberate, goal-directed problem solving. These skills, which are exercised when children pause and reflect before reacting, provide a foundation for learning in a classroom context. They make it possible to pay attention, think flexibly, keep information in mind, and resist distractions. A distinction between two types of EF, hot (more emotional) and cool (less emotional), emerges early in development and helps explain why self-regulation can be especially difficult in the face of meaningful consequences. Both hot and cool EF improve with practice, and working with young children on both types of EF skills is likely to be beneficial for school readiness and beyond.