Impact of educational toys on children's development

Last registered on May 17, 2023
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Impact of educational toys on children's development
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0011421
Initial registration date
May 15, 2023

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
May 17, 2023, 2:51 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Chien Le Quang
Affiliation
Keio University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Makiko Nakamuro
PI Affiliation
Keio University
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PI Name
Keiko Fujisawa
PI Affiliation
Keio University
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PI Name
Taiyo Fukai
PI Affiliation
Tsukuba University
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PI Name
Kengo Igei
PI Affiliation
Keio University
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2023-04-18
End date
2024-09-30
Keywords
Education
Additional Keywords
Child Care, Education
JEL code(s)
J13, A20
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Toys play a crucial role in every individual's early years. In developing countries, children often make do with makeshift playthings like plastic cans, stones, and chalk, while their counterparts in developed countries engage with commercially manufactured toys. Despite toys being a prominent aspect of children's lives, we have limited knowledge about their impact on developmental outcomes. To bridge this gap, we conduct a study to examine the effects of educational toys on the cognitive and non-cognitive development of children. We randomly distribute educational toys to kindergartens and assess their influence on 3 and 4-years-old children.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Fujisawa, Keiko et al. 2023. "Impact of educational toys on children's development." AEA RCT Registry. May 17. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.11421-1.0
Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We plan a study that will span from May 2023 to February 2024, involving a total of 14 kindergartens. Through a random selection process, we allocate 7 kindergartens to Group A and 7 kindergartens to Group B.

In this intervention, we will provide educational toys on loan and permanently place them in the classrooms of 3-year-olds in Group A and 4-year-olds in Group B for a duration of 9 months, from May 2023 to February 2024. The decisions regarding the type and quantity of toys, as well as the selection of items for child development investigations, are made in consultation with our partners, including the toy lending company and the company that owns the kindergartens. Our partners will provide clear instructions to the nursery staff to ensure that these toys are utilized correctly and safely.

At the conclusion of the 9-month period, we will conduct a comprehensive survey to assess the development of both the 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds in these kindergartens. The survey will enable us to evaluate the impact of the educational toys on the development of these children.
Intervention Start Date
2023-05-30
Intervention End Date
2024-02-29

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Cognitive, Language, Motor, Social-emotional skills, and Problem solving
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We plan to conduct a study involving 14 kindergartens from May 2023 to February 2024. Randomly selecting 7 kindergartens for Group A and 7 kindergartens for Group B, our objective is to examine the impact of educational toys on the cognitive and non-cognitive development of children aged 3 to 4 years in these kindergartens.

During the period from May 2023 to February 2024, we will provide educational toys for the classrooms of 3-year-olds in Group A and the classrooms of 4-year-olds in Group B. After 9 months, we will compare the development of 3-year-old children in Group A with that of Group B to determine the influence of educational toys on the development of 3-year-olds in Group A kindergartens. Similarly, we will assess the impact of educational toys on the development of 4-year-olds in Group B kindergartens by comparing their progress with that of Group A.

Moving forward, our plan for the following year is to provide educational toys for the classrooms of 5-year-old children in Group A and the classrooms of 4-year-old children in Group B. This strategic decision ensures that children in both Group A and Group B have equal opportunities to engage with educational toys.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer
Randomization Unit
Kindergarten
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
14 kindergartens
Sample size: planned number of observations
434 children
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
7 kindergartens
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Keio University, SFC Research Ethics Committee
IRB Approval Date
2023-04-18
IRB Approval Number
N/A
Analysis Plan