Children often intend to act in ways that support their goals but struggle to translate these intentions into action. Implementation intentions, or if–then plans, can help bridge this intention–behaviour gap by linking a specific situational cue to a concrete behavioural response. Although previous research shows that children benefit from effective if–then plans provided by adults, little is known about whether they can learn to recognise the features that make such plans effective. The present exploratory study examined whether a brief strategic planning intervention improved children’s recognition and selection of effective if–then plans. 

Thirty-three children aged 8–12 years completed a scenario-based multiple-choice task before and after instruction on three planning principles: specifying a clear situational cue, selecting a concrete behavioural response, and replacing an unwanted behaviour with an alternative action. Different scenarios were presented at pre- and post-test, allowing assessment of whether children applied these principles to new situations. Both a linear mixed-effects model and a t-test indicated that planning-quality scores increased significantly from pre- to post-test, with 32 of 33 children improving. 

Although underpowered, exploratory analyses found no evidence that overall performance or improvement differed by age, whereas boys showed greater improvement than girls. These findings provide encouraging initial evidence that children in middle childhood can learn and apply the principles of effective if–then planning, while also offering a foundation for future research into how children can best be supported in developing and using effective planning skills.