Improving children’s executive functions: evidence from capoeira

Abstract

Physical activities have several benefits for mental and physical health, but the evidence on preschool-age children is limited. This article tests whether martial arts can provide a stimulating environment for boosting children’s executive functions. Exploring a preschool programme that randomly assigned schools to receive capoeira classes, we estimate an intention-to-treat effect on children’s inhibitory control, short-term memory, and cognitive flexibility. Results show modest positive impacts on inhibitory control only. Treated children performed 0.13 of a standard deviation better than the control group. Instrumental variable estimation provides additional positive impact on children’s inhibitory control. In addition, children living in households that receive the Bolsa Família grant and those born to mothers with low schooling levels tend to show larger impacts.