Experiencing regret about a choice helps children learn to delay gratification

•Two studies conducted with 6- to 7-year-olds examined whether children were more likely to wait for a longer delay to get a larger reward if they regretted not waiting previously.•The studies both found an association between experiencing regret and subsequently delaying gratification. The second study controlled for IQ and also ensured that children had a preference for the larger reward.•The findings suggest that experiencing regret may help children learn to delay gratification. Children (6- and 7-year-olds) decided whether to wait for a short delay to win a prize or for a longer period to win a different prize. Those who chose to take their prize after a short delay won two candies but were shown that they would have won four candies if they had waited longer. We measured whether children regretted their choice not to wait. The next day, children were faced with the same choice again. Children who regretted choosing the short delay on Day 1 were more likely to delay gratification on Day 2 than children who had not regretted their previous choice. In a second study, we replicated this finding while controlling for intellectual ability and children’s preference for four candies over two candies. This suggests that experiencing regret about a choice not to wait assists children in delaying gratification when faced with the same choice again.