Independent Research Validates ThinkPlayful™ Impact
Randomized Controlled Trial funded by the National Science Foundation
WestEd Evaluation Findings
In 2025, WestEd — a leading national research, development, and service agency — conducted an independent randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effectiveness of ThinkPlayful™. This rigorous study was funded by the National Science Foundation and provides evidence of ThinkPlayful's impact on families with preschool-aged children.
Key Findings
Among families who actively engaged with ThinkPlayful™ during the six-week intervention period, the evaluation found statistically significant improvements in:
Caregiver-Child Closeness (p < .01) Caregivers who used ThinkPlayful™ at or above the minimum threshold reported significantly greater closeness with their children compared to families without access to the app.
Reduced Math Anxiety (p < .05) Caregivers in the treatment group reported significantly lower math anxiety, meaning they felt less nervous or uncomfortable about math than caregivers without access to ThinkPlayful™.
Study Design
Research Partner: WestEd
Study Type: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Funding Source: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Sample Size: 101 caregiver-child dyads (52 treatment, 49 control)
Intervention Period: Six weeks
Participant Demographics: Parent-child dyads with children ages 3-5 years - 60% male, 40% female - 67% White, 26% Black/African American, 5% American Indian/Alaska Native, 2% Hispanic/Latino
Citation: Chen-Gaddini, M., & Rice, J. (2025). Findings from an evaluation of ThinkPlayful™. WestEd.
What Caregivers Said
Perceived Benefits
Caregivers valued ThinkPlayful's capacity to initiate meaningful caregiver-child interactions and provide enjoyable, accessible activities for home learning.
“Being able to play together using the app activities gave us new ways to connect.”
“Activities that can be done indoors and then adapted to outside were really helpful.”
“The activities that allow my child to explore patterns and shapes through drawing were great.”
Math Engagement
Some caregivers reported increased confidence and interest in math-related tasks among their children.
“He is able to identify colors more easily and seems more curious about counting things.”
“She wants to measure things now, which never used to happen before.”
Content Design Elements
Caregivers specifically praised features that promoted sustained interest:
“The hide and seek game has been helpful.”
“The activities that focus on shapes and patterns were great for her learning style.”
Why This Matters
Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard in educational research. This independent evaluation provides objective evidence that ThinkPlayful™:
Strengthens family relationships through guided play activities
Reduces barriers to early math learning by lowering caregiver math anxiety
Creates positive learning experiences for both children and caregivers
Delivers measurable outcomes beyond academic skills alone
The findings are particularly noteworthy because they demonstrate impact on relationship quality and caregiver confidence—critical foundational elements for long-term learning success.
Study Methodology
Treatment-on-Treated Analysis:
The primary analysis focused on families who used ThinkPlayful™ at or above a minimum engagement threshold (22 treatment dyads, 44 control dyads). This approach provided estimates of outcomes for families who actually engaged with the app.
Intent-to-Treat Analysis:
A secondary analysis included all participants as randomized, regardless of app usage (52 treatment, 49 control). No statistically significant differences were observed in this analysis, suggesting that offering access alone—without accounting for engagement—did not produce measurable group-level changes.
Outcome Measures:
Preschool Affective Attitudes toward Mathematics Scale (PAAMS)
Tool to Measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE) for caregiver-child closeness and caregiving confidence
Caregiver math anxiety scale
Subgroup Findings
The study found statistically significant effects in specific subgroups including:
Male students: Caregivers reported significantly greater caregiver-child closeness
White and Black/African American students: Positive effects observed on key outcomes
These subgroup patterns suggest ThinkPlayful™ may have impacts worth exploring further in future research with larger samples.
Download the Full Report
Read the complete evaluation including detailed methodology, statistical analyses, qualitative findings, and appendices.
Download WestEd Evaluation (PDF)
Chen-Gaddini, M., & Rice, J. (2025). Findings from an evaluation of ThinkPlayful™. WestEd. September 2025.
Related Resources
Research-Backed Approach: Learn how ThinkPlayful™ integrates evidence from multiple educational frameworks. Explore Our Learning Frameworks
How It Works: Discover our guided play methodology and adaptive learning features. View Features
Try It Free: Experience research-backed learning with your preschooler.
About WestEd
WestEd is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that aims to improve the lives of children and adults at all ages of learning and development. They do this by addressing challenges in education and human development, increasing opportunity, and helping build communities where all can thrive. WestEd staff conduct and apply research, provide technical assistance, and support professional learning. They work with early learning educators, classroom teachers, local and state leaders, and policymakers at all levels of government.
For more information about WestEd, visit www.wested.org
