Self-regulation in early childhood has received heightened attention as a key aspect of children’s adaptive development. However, research in this field has been hindered by a lack of conceptual clarity on the meaning of the underlying constructs. This article is primarily concerned with improving conceptual clarity of self-regulation in early childhood and discussing its developmental significance and malleability. By reviewing recent evidence and literature, some arguments are made. First, early childhood self-regulation may improve its conceptual clarity by being defined in terms of three foundational EF components (inhibition, working memory, attentional shifting). Second, these constructs of self-regulation have developmental significance for predicting academic achievement. Third, early educational intervention that targets these constructs in everyday classroom setting may have long-term persistence of the intervention effects. In conclusion, this article discusses the malleability of early childhood self-regulation and its implication for our education.