Interoception Before Executive Function? An Overlooked Foundation in Early Childhood

Omar Vigo, PhD, Community College of Rhode Island

The realm of education is often so uniform that we overlook the characteristics of appropriate developmental skills, leading many experts to issue multiple directives to a child and expect flawless execution. For some professionals, this may appear to be an uncomplicated endeavor, although it requires substantial cognitive effort and emotional stability to accomplish. For a child, it constitutes a methodical procedure that frequently induces stress. At the preschool stage, this procedure requires the child to employ advanced executive function abilities, which can result in more adverse than beneficial outcomes due to their brain's developmental stage. Diamond (2013) asserts that executive functions (EFs) are a collection of advanced cognitive processes that empower humans to manage their thoughts and behaviors to achieve objectives. They enable children to concentrate and maintain attention, retain and manage information mentally, control impulsive reactions, adjust to evolving circumstances, and purposefully direct their actions. Additionally, Diamond characterizes executive functions as hierarchical cognitive processes that are especially crucial when focused attention and intentional behavior are necessary, rather than relying on instinctive or hasty reactions; however, a significant question may be overlooked: Is the child aware of their bodily sensations when the educator presents multiple demands simultaneously? Simply put, a child's self-regulatory actions should not be viewed just as a readiness, or reluctance, to conform. Before expecting young children to regulate their behavior and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, educators must recognize the importance of helping them recognize and understand the physiological cues that facilitate self-regulation . Thus, interoception warrants increased focus during early childhood education.

The Sense We Often Overlook

Interoception refers to how the nervous system detects, interprets, and integrates signals arising from within the organism (Khalsa et al., 2018). These signals convey information about states such as hunger, thirst, temperature, pain, respiration, heartbeat, and other physiological changes, as well as the child's psychological state. Interoceptive processing aids in maintaining physiological equilibrium and influences emotional and cognitive experiences (Khalsa et al., 2018). This highlights the relationship between a child's emotional and cognitive conditions, which practitioners must recognize to prevent deterioration in mental functions. 

Let us examine the following situation: a young child is experiencing frustration while working on a difficult task. The child might not first recognize, “I am frustrated and need a pause.” The experience could commence with an accelerated heartbeat, alterations in respiration, warmth, muscular tension, an uneasy feeling in the abdomen, or disorientation, which can induce stress and intense anxiety, obstructing beneficial brain connections and a concrete learning experience. Identifying and understanding these cues can ultimately help the child link physical sensations to emotions and potential reactions.

Investigations are starting to reveal the significance of this procedure in early development. Schaan et al. (2021) investigated interoception in preschool-aged children and found that their capacity to perceive changes in heart rate consciously varied. Significantly, enhanced interoceptive accuracy correlated positively with emotional regulation skills, thereby improving the child’s concentration and attentiveness. These results encourage early childhood educators to regard body awareness as a fundamental aspect of development that fosters self-regulation.

Before “Control Yourself,” Help Children Know Themselves

Executive function typically encompasses three interrelated abilities: working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. Collectively, these mechanisms assist children in retaining information, regulating impulses, redirecting focus, resolving issues, adhering to instructions, and pursuing objectives. Interoception might engage with these advanced systems in significant ways. Bishop et al. (2023) discovered correlations between elements of interoceptive awareness and executive functioning in school-aged children, encompassing working memory, inhibition, emotional regulation, and cognitive control. The study has not yet established that mastery of interoception is a prerequisite for the development of executive function. These systems evolve concurrently and affect each other. Nonetheless, emerging research supports a compelling educational assertion: Children might gain greater access to regulation techniques when aided in recognizing their bodily sensations. We might conceptualize the process as pictured below in Figure 1:

Figure 1

Interoception Process

Imagine a hungry, fatigued, terrified, or overstimulated preschooler trying to concentrate, compose themselves, make good choices, articulate their thoughts, or meet multiple demands simultaneously. These instructions require regulatory and cognitive resources at a time when the child's internal state may require considerable focus and attention. Rather than only inquiring why this child lacks behavioral control, educators might consider asking: What could this child's physique be conveying? Has the child become aware of such signs yet? Such inquiry redirects our focus from adherence to advancement.

How Teachers May Bring Interoception into the Classroom

Educators should not be converted into therapists, nor should classrooms be transformed into therapeutic settings to facilitate interoception. Educators might employ techniques such as play, physical activity, a supportive atmosphere, transitions, and designated routines to help learners cultivate body awareness. Evaluating any classroom intervention is essential for the continuation of the learning plan, guaranteeing the child's emotional readiness for tasks. See sample strategies below: 

Invite Children to Notice Their Bodies

Following activities such as jogging, dancing, jumping, or outdoor play, educators may inquire, “What do you notice about your heartbeat?” or “How does your breathing feel now?” These must be invitations for exploration rather than inquiries with fixed, correct responses. Educators must guide the process of what they feel at the moment. Accurately identifying emotions will enhance their lexicon and their ability to differentiate among them. 

Develop Body Vocabulary

Terms like warm, chilly, tight, loose, shaky, hungry, thirsty, weary, fast, and slow equip children with the vocabulary to articulate their experiences. Look for natural ways to use these terms in context, such as when reading books, engaging in activities, and helping children work through challenging moments.

Avoid Defining Children's Internal Experiences for Them

Rather than instinctively stating, “You are angry,” an educator should remark, “I see you’re your hands are clenched.” What sensations are you noticing or feeling in your body? Adults can offer linguistic support and opportunities while honoring children's evolving comprehension of their own experiences. This constitutes guidance rather than instruction.

Use Transitions Intentionally

Before instructing children to participate in a collective activity, educators may ask, “What does your body require before we begin?” A child can require physical activity, hydration, stretching, breathing exercises, or even extra time to shift. Educators must also see significance in transitions and employ them as a strategic guide. 

Use Movement and Play

Engaging in dance, stretching, breathing exercises, animal imitations, theatrical play, sensory investigations, and vigorous outdoor activities offer children inherent chances to observe bodily transformations. Recall that play is the paramount occupation for children and a suitable means for managing their emotions. 

Use a Specific Mindfulness Routine to Calm Down

Employing soothing techniques like yoga, Tai Chi, and breathing exercises constitutes a fundamental mindfulness approach; however, it is crucial to recognize that mindfulness transcends mere repetition of these calming practices, movements, or exercises. It embodies the human capacity to be fully present, cognizant of our surroundings, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by external stimuli (Mindful, 2025). These approaches are compatible with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC’s) position on Developmentally Appropriate Practice, which emphasizes strengths-based, play-based learning responsive to children's developmental characteristics, individual differences, and social and cultural contexts (NAEYC, 2020).

From Classroom Practice to Policy

Interoception warrants attention outside the confines of classrooms. If early childhood frameworks prioritize self-regulation and executive function as essential elements of school preparedness, then policies and professional training must acknowledge the physiological and emotional mechanisms that facilitate these skills. Educator training and professional growth for executive function could include interoception, self-regulation, and body awareness. 

Second, curriculum policies must safeguard opportunities for physical activity, sensory exploration, outdoor engagement, rest, attentive care, and child-led play, rather than treating these experiences as secondary to academic instruction. It is important to note that early childhood encompasses the period from birth to age 8. Currently, many first-, second-, and third-graders are enrolled in standardized programs that mechanize their learning rather than provide substantive instruction, making it unilateral and unidirectional. This viewpoint aligns with NAEYC's dedication to superior, equitable early education. Developmentally Appropriate Practices require that educators understand children in relation to their developmental stage, uniqueness, familial background, cultural influences, linguistic factors, capabilities, and personal experiences (NAEYC, 2020). A child's self-regulatory actions should not be viewed just as a readiness—or reluctance—to conform.

A Question Worth Asking

Early childhood education has rightly focused significant attention on executive function. Instructing children to exercise patience, recall information, be strategic, redirect focus, resolve issues, and regulate urges enhances vital learning skills. However, in addition to such abilities, we may assist them in cultivating an equally essential trait: self-awareness from an internal perspective. Minor adjustments to our methodologies can have significant consequences for classroom implementation and management, educator training, family instruction, and early childhood legislation. Children require opportunities not only to develop critical thinking skills but also to observe, understand, and respond to their physical states to navigate various circumstances. Thus, increased focus on interoception could potentially benefit not only children’s self-regulation skills, but also their ability to strengthen multiple executive function skills in early development that help them understand themselves, work with others, and meet learning goals across domains. 

References

Bishop, C., Brown, T., & Yu, M.-L. (2023). The relationship between school-age children's 

interoceptive awareness and executive functioning: An exploratory study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 86(2), 116–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/03080226221128184 

Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750

Khalsa, S. S., Adolphs, R., Cameron, O. G., Critchley, H. D., Davenport, P. W., Feinstein, J. S., 

Feusner, J. D., Garfinkel, S. N., Lane, R. D., Mehling, W. E., Meuret, A. E., Nemeroff, C. B., Oppenheimer, S., Petzschner, F. H., Pollatos, O., Rhudy, J. L., Schramm, L. P., Simmons, W. K., Stein, M. B., ... Paulus, M. P. (2018). Interoception and mental health: A roadmap. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 3(6), 501–513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.12.004

Mindful. (2025, May 15). What is mindfulness? https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2020). Developmentally appropriate 

practice: A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/dap

Schaan, V. K., Schulz, A., Bernstein, M., Schächinger, H., & Vögele, C. (2021). Interoception in 

preschoolers: New insights into its assessment and relations to emotion regulation and stress. Biological Psychology, 165, 108166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108166

Dr. Omar Vigo is an assistant professor of early childhood education and co-director of the bilingual early childhood program in the Human Services department at the Community College of Rhode Island. His specialization is in curriculum and instruction, instructional coaching, and urban and community education. He can be contacted at ovigo@ccri.edu.

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