Resumo. ABSTRACT Games and play are strategies to assist in the cognitive development of children. However, there are still gaps about their effects and associations when it comes to children’s cognition. Thus, the objective is to synthesize the influence of active games and play on the cognition of children. The databases searched were: Lilacs, PsycINFO, Pubmed, Scielo and Scopus. Articles with observational or experimental design were included. Their quality was evaluated by means of RoB 2. Five studies were included, in accordance with the eligibility criteria. All studies had an experimental design, with two being conducted chronically, and three, acutely. Three studies showed positive effects of games and play on attention, reaction time, and executive functions: inhibitory control, logical reasoning, verbal factor, numerical factor, spatial factor, and general intelligence. Regarding the methodological quality of the studies, it is necessary to better describe and use the randomization allocation process, be more careful with data analysis, and avoid multiple assessments for a single variable. It is concluded that active games and play can generate a positive effect on the attention and executive functions of children. Further research is needed for an understanding of the relationship that parameters such as intensity, length and types of activities have with cognition.