Working memory (WM) is central to human cognition, underpinning a wide range of complex cognitive functions. Many daily activities, like reading or following a conversation, depend on it. It is a dynamic system that undergoes substantial changes throughout childhood, and consequently, its interactions with other cognitive systems also evolve. Understanding the effects of WM development is therefore essential for elucidating broader cognitive growth. 
This symposium brings together researchers investigating the development of working memory in childhood through complementary perspectives, ranging from large-scale adaptive data modeling to experimental and eye-tracking approaches.
In this symposium, we will first target the question of how WM capacities develop and to what extent WM is necessary for developing mathematical abilities in primary school children. In the second part, we will focus on proactive functioning, that is, the capacity to anticipate and prepare ourselves for a task. We will discuss when it emerges in WM, how it develops across ages, and how to assess the presence or absence of proactive strategies. Finally, we will discuss the links between the sensorimotor system and WM, by presenting the effect of a body movement-based strategy on WM performance. 
Collectively, these insights will offer a comprehensive and diverse overview, unified by a shared emphasis on the mechanisms and developmental trajectories of working memory in childhood.