A naturalistic study of prospective memory in preschoolers: The role of task interruption and motivation

► We conducted two naturalistic experiments to analyze prospective memory development. ► Prospective memory performance improved systematically across the preschool years. ► A high level of motivation was necessary for the 2-year-olds to perform well. ► High motivation increased performance across the entire preschool period. ► Task interruption decreased performance in the 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds.