Previous research suggests that young children (ages four through seven) have particularly positive, and often exaggerated or inflated estimates of performance (Gullo & Ambrose, 1987; Harter & Pike, 1984; Marsh, Craven, & Debus, 1998; Nicholls, 1978). This study examined the influence of temporal saliency on young children’s estimates of performance. It was expected that, when young children’s competence was made more salient, their self-ratings of performance would be more congruent with estimates based on objective assessment, and parent and teacher ratings. Participants included 100 (55 males, 45 females) preschool children between the ages of 47 and 67 months. They were asked to demonstrate their competence by engaging in several cognitive and physical tasks. Participants rated their skillfulness on the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance (PSPCSA) (Harter, 1984) both before and after they demonstrated their ability to perform these same cognitive and physical tasks. Parents and teachers also rated the children’s skillfulness at various activities. Discrepancy scores that reflected the difference between child ratings and objective, parent, and teacher ratings were calculated. When these discrepancy scores were subjected to a series of 2 x 2 (domain: cognitive, physical x time: Time 1/pre-performance, Time 2/post-performance) ANOVAs, time emerged as a significant within subjects factor. Although children’s ratings became significantly more congruent with objective, parent, and teacher ratings over time, their Time 2 ratings remained inflated as compared to their actual performance. Furthermore, unanticipated significant improvements in the congruence between child and adult ratings of social competence (a domain in which there was no performance opportunity) over time suggest that a factor other than salient performance is contributing to the shift in perception. It is likely that temporal salience is only one of many factors that influence young children’s estimates of performance.