BACKGROUND: In the authors clinical experience, delirium during recovery from sevoflurane anesthesia is more common in younger children than in older children. The aim of the present study was to assess the recovery quality after sevoflurane anesthesia in school and preschool children. METHODS: Thirty children, ASA 1, scheduled for elective surgery were assigned into two groups of preschool (n = 15) or school (n = 15). All children were premedicated with midazolam (0.05 mg/kg) and glycopyrrolate (0.04 mg/kg) an hour before anesthesia induction. Thiopenthal sodium (5 mg/kg) and vecuronium bromide (0.1 mg/kg) were used for the induction of anesthesia, and it was maintained by inhalation of sevoflurane in N2O/O2 50/50 via an endotracheal tube. Recovery characteristics and agitation characteristics on emergence were also compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Emergence delirium occurred more frequently in preschool children (P < 0.01). Duration of emergence delirium was also longer in preschool children (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Emergence delirium after sevoflurane anesthesia was more common and longer in preschool children.