{"id":65574,"date":"2025-07-14T12:46:49","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T20:46:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/?p=65574"},"modified":"2025-07-14T12:46:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T20:46:52","slug":"doubles-early-learning-gains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/abcmouse\/doubles-early-learning-gains\/65574","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Screen Time: ABCmouse Doubles Early Learning Gains in Math and Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"258\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Research-Brief-Jan-2025-1200x258.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-65577\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Research-Brief-Jan-2025-1200x258.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Research-Brief-Jan-2025-300x64.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Research-Brief-Jan-2025-768x165.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Research-Brief-Jan-2025-1536x330.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Research-Brief-Jan-2025.png 1584w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Free-to-Play-Games-Article.png\" alt=\"ABCmouse showing off all the fun games.\" class=\"wp-image-19887\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-radius:15px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Free-to-Play-Games-Article.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Free-to-Play-Games-Article-300x88.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Free-to-Play-Games-Article-768x224.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#0515bd;line-height:1.25\"><strong>Beyond Screen Time: ABCmouse Doubles Early Learning Gains in Math and Reading<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#767676;font-style:normal;font-weight:400\"><br>Research study shows that ABCmouse improves children&#8217;s literacy and math skills.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-byline1 is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-85f35b507598b33b509010c8101f014d wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/hee-jin-bang-profile-expert-advice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Hee Jin Bang<\/a>, Ph.D., Amanda Siebert-Evenstone, Ph.D.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-advice-table-ofcontents has-background\" style=\"border-radius:5px;background-color:#e9f5ff\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-background\" style=\"color:#01075f;background-color:#bdd7ff\">Table of Contents &#8211; Jump to Each Section<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-royal-depths-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7d02b037e016a310e0e681e6c57d54e2 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#key-findings\" title=\"\">Key Findings: Summaries of ABCmouse Research Study<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-royal-depths-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a1e6373917724941d139633179055050 wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"#overview\" title=\"\"><strong>ABCmouse<\/strong> <strong>Research Study Overview<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-royal-depths-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c0c863f00de9583521cffa67143d29ac wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#ABCmouse-program\" title=\"\">The ABCmouse Learning Program<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-royal-depths-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f1ab9d462830c0f413c9edceaf3be9b9 wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"#participants\" title=\"\"><strong>ABCmouse<\/strong> <strong><strong>Research Study Participants<\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-royal-depths-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8f195cd2aef5a7a8fa836068039c14f5 wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"#design-procedures\" title=\"\"><strong>ABCmouse<\/strong> <strong>Research Study Design and Procedures<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-royal-depths-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-885e907cbbab3513ff3bc74c7e764838 wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"#study-results\" title=\"\"><strong>ABCmouse<\/strong> <strong>Research Study Results<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:2px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-background\" style=\"border-color:#2D56BF;border-width:1px;border-radius:15px;background-color:#80808021;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading anchor-link-with-margin\" id=\"key-findings\" style=\"line-height:1\">Key Findings: ABCmouse boosts reading and math skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-40e2f73f648bdcfc6d5d3b77c86dc43f\">\n<li>Pre-kindergarten children who used ABCmouse for about 3.5 months demonstrated 2.5 times greater growth in their phonological processing skills in comparison to their peers who did not use the program.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Children who used ABCmouse also demonstrated 1.6 to 2 times greater growth in their quantitative reasoning<br>and applied math problem solving skills relative to their peers who did not use the program.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>9 out of every 10 parents indicated that ABCmouse had a positive impact on their children, and all parents indicated that they would recommend the program to another friend or a parent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In interviews, parents reported that ABCmouse\u2019s combination of engaging interactive content and comprehensive coverage of early learning topics led to observable improvements in children\u2019s foundational skills, especially in literacy, communication, and school readiness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading anchor-link-with-margin\" id=\"overview\">ABCmouse Research Study Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ff1f85b24792867d030dbcfa533c1b95 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">In an era where digital technology permeates every aspect of modern life, early childhood educators and caregivers face a dilemma: how to balance the potential benefits of educational technology with concerns about screen time exposure among young children. <strong>While concerns about excessive screen time are well-documented<sup>1<\/sup>, emerging research suggests that the quality and the context of digital engagement may be more critical than quantity alone. <\/strong>The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends one hour per day of high-quality programming for preschool-aged children<sup>2<\/sup>, and a systematic review of studies of digital intervention for young children found that interactive, educational digital content, when appropriately designed and implemented, can support early literacy and numeracy skills development.<sup>3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-51e4e62c7536e7752a65d2655909fac5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">However, there remains a significant gap in our understanding of how specific digital learning platforms affect developmental outcomes in very young children, particularly those aged 3\u20135 years. <strong>This study examines ABCmouse\u2019s effectiveness as an educational tool for preschool-aged children<\/strong>, used in the home between February to July 2023, during a period of normalized post-pandemic educational practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image u-m-hide\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/abc\/create-account\/?src_tag=wp:cta:0015\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"501\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Mobile.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-89753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Mobile.png 924w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Mobile-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Mobile-768x416.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image u-d-hide aofl-mb-3rem-margin \">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/abc\/create-account\/?src_tag=wp:cta:0026\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"393\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Desktop.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-89754\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Desktop.png 393w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Desktop-211x300.png 211w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 393px) 100vw, 393px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading anchor-link-with-margin\" id=\"ABCmouse-program\">The ABCmouse Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-faa70347ef59f886ee4a5ffa4d8cb00e wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">ABCmouse Early Learning Academy is a comprehensive digital early learning resource for children in preschool, prekindergarten, kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades. Informed by research on how young children learn and what motivates them to learn, ABCmouse offers more than 10,000 Learning Activities and 850 lessons encompassing all major academic subject areas, including literacy, math, science, social studies, health, art, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e1a1af99d1448be0bbed61a87070ce37 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">ABCmouse Learning Activities are regularly updated to encourage children to explore new content based on studies demonstrating connections between curiosity, exploration, and learning. Additionally, given the research showing relationships between learner choice and learning, ABCmouse offers games, books, puzzles, songs, and videos that children can choose independently based on their interests, as well as lessons on the Step-by-Step Learning Path, a structured curriculum that provides predesignated activities at the child\u2019s level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b5e8ec0df5e37cca16c0bf852d25c7e8 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">In sum, ABCmouse focuses on making learning fun, fostering children\u2019s curiosity, and promoting their confidence as learners, all of which can contribute to children\u2019s cognitive and socioemotional development. It can be used on smartphones and tablets as an app, as well as on computers through a web browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading anchor-link-with-margin\" id=\"participants\">ABCmouse Research Study Participants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3a8f0d4c4adea9d022012b004b5605e5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">In January 2023, Age of Learning researchers recruited a total of 253 children (3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds) through eighteen community organizations, childcare centers, and schools across three cities in California and Texas. Recruitment flyers (English and Spanish) were distributed through principals, community organization leaders, and educators, as well as by a bilingual member of the research team at pick-up and drop-off times at childcare centers. Electronic copies of the flyers, as well as QR codes \/ links to an online consent form were also distributed, inviting parents to have their child participate in the study. The primary school districts in which the cities are located served student populations comprised of 44\u201368 percent Hispanic\/Latino students, who lived in communities where the median household income ranged from $56,587 to $72,772, and where 86 to 90 percent of the households had broadband internet access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading anchor-link-with-margin\" id=\"design-procedures\">ABCmouse Research Study Design and Procedures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-000357b7b7b6a8732e5f9c34031bcddd wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">A total of 25 assessors were recruited across the three sites and trained to administer the Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJIV)<sup>4<\/sup> to participants. The WJIV is a battery of standardized assessments used to evaluate a wide range of cognitive abilities, and we selected 7 assessments targeting foundational literacy and numeracy skills to measure participants\u2019 achievement and cognitive abilities at the beginning and at the end of the 6-month study period. The skills assessed were: letter and word identification (Letter-Word Identification); decoding (Word Attack); phonological processing (Word Access, Word Fluency, Phoneme Substitution); number sense and operational skills, including problem solving and mathematical reasoning (Applied Problems); and pattern and quantitative reasoning (Number Series). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-41616b4bafabe9431336bd62be1f4a8e wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">All assessors had at least a bachelor\u2019s degree in education, psychology, or a related field, and all attended two training sessions designed to help them understand the assessment, as well as common issues that may occur while administering the assessments to young children. After each test administration session in the field, the assessors met with the research team to debrief and share best practices. The pretest (Form A) was administered between early February and early March 2023, and the posttest (Form C) was administered between early July and late September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6697a08a0d64e0f1079dddd86a3866f2 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">The study employed a randomized controlled trial design. After pre-assessments were completed at each site, participants of that site were randomly assigned to either use ABCmouse or to continue with their usual afterschool activities, with the randomization process designed to ensure balance between groups based on gender, age, and baseline performance (see TABLE 1 for distribution of children by age across control and treatment groups).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"946\" height=\"292\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Table-1-Beyon-Screen-Time-Research.png\" alt=\"Table 1. Age of participants across groups. \" class=\"wp-image-65584\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Table-1-Beyon-Screen-Time-Research.png 946w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Table-1-Beyon-Screen-Time-Research-300x93.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Table-1-Beyon-Screen-Time-Research-768x237.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 946px) 100vw, 946px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b85f989c45b2cdfb6447bdbc029d99a6 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Parents\/caregivers in the treatment group were asked to have their child use ABCmouse for at least 15 minutes a day, 4 times a week (or at least 1 hour per week) at home between February and July 2023. They were asked to have their child prioritize completing the activities in a curated playlist of 10 literacy and numeracy activities that were created each week and displayed prominently in a section of the dashboard called \u201cMy Lessons.\u201d If they finished everything in the playlist for the week, they were encouraged to go to \u201cMy Learning Path\u201d or explore other parts of ABCmouse until the following week, when a new playlist of literacy and numeracy activities became available under \u201cMy Lessons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6a2007db88af9fbb7d487d87834198e6 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Usage was monitored weekly, with email reminders and encouragements to parents \/ caregivers of participants who were lagging far below the 60-minutes-per-week threshold. Children without access to a tablet and\/or internet were provided with the equipment to enable them to participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-50f49e3da8ef60f75e221223343139ee wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Among the 253 children recruited for the study (121 control, 132 treatment), 100 control children and 110 treatment children had both pre- and post-assessment scores. Six children (2 control, 4 treatment) who required specialized educational support were excluded from analyses, as well as 5 control children who played ABCmouse, resulting in a sample of 93 control and 106 treatment children. Of the 106 students in the treatment group, 96 students were active in the program, averaging 83.81 minutes per active week (SD = 58.56) over 11.14 active weeks (SD = 5.28). They spent on average, 18.1 total hours (SD = 18.94) using ABCmouse and completed an average of 24.79 unique learning activities (SD = 13.5). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d85f7a7d0424facab8a6e677050b6231 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Additionally, given the need for adequate, consistent usage of any intervention program in learning, 41 treatment children who did not meet the minimum requirement of using the program an average of 2 days per week were also excluded from analyses. The final analytic sample included 93 control and 55 treatment children. These 55 treatment children who used the program with fidelity averaged 108.94 minutes per week (SD = 65.02) over 13.15 active weeks (SD = 5.25). They spent, on average, 25.77 total hours (SD = 21.61) using the program and completed an average of 29.91 learning activities (SD = 14.3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading anchor-link-with-margin\" id=\"study-results\">ABCmouse Research Study Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a763241f2b48696db74a1076d984f507\" style=\"color:#01075f\">Finding 1: Pre-kindergarten children who used ABCmouse for about 3.5 months demonstrated 2.5 times greater growth in their phonological process skills in comparison to their peers who did not use the program.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1c22c6f06c383f5998d20fe64646337c wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Students\u2019 raw scores on each assessment at pre- and post were recorded, and the differences between the postand pre- scores for each assessment were examined. FIGURE 1 below compares the change scores between pre and post for children who used ABCmouse (Treatment, or T) and their peers who did not use the program (Control, or C).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"648\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-1-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x648.png\" alt=\"Graph with the change in literacy outcomes. \" class=\"wp-image-65591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-1-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x648.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-1-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-1-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-1-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research.png 1366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0e58f9b2e44eb40052aaa64856e42a77 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">The graph illustrates that children who used ABCmouse showed greater gains across all measured literacy skills compared to the control group, with statistically significant differences in Word Access, Fluency, and Phonological Processing. Focusing specifically on phonological processing skills, ABCmouse users achieved a 2.3-point growth compared to 0.9 points in the control group, a 2.5-fold increase that underscores the program\u2019s effectiveness in developing this set of crucial early literacy skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-028e311d1dcdb57dad2714411214b9ba\" style=\"color:#01075f\"><br>Finding 2: Children who used ABCmouse also demonstrated 1.6 to 2 times greater growth in their applied math problem solving skills and quantitative reasoning relative to their peers who did not use the program.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"722\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-2-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x722.png\" alt=\"Change scores between pre and post numeracy assessments for children who used ABCmouse and those who did not. \" class=\"wp-image-65595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-2-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x722.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-2-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-2-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-2-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research.png 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8b94c83ad3d1cc3ffd73825132867f96 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">The results indicate that children using ABCmouse significantly enhanced their numeracy skills. In other words, ABCmouse users achieved about 1.6 times greater growth in their ability to analyze and solve practical math problems using mathematical reasoning. They also achieved about 2.1 times greater growth in their ability to solve math problems by finding patterns, working with numbers and quantities, and using logical thinking to figure out new problems they have not seen before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e16b83f6fa87a14104cfcc49a17d5ca0\" style=\"color:#01075f\">Finding 3: Nine out of every 10 parents indicated that ABCmouse had a positive impact on their children, and all parents indicated that they would recommend the program to another friend or a parent.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9123a3cbe203838bf24168e86e2909c9 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">A total of 71 parents\/caregivers completed surveys at the end of the study. Nine out of every 10 parents indicated that ABCmouse had a positive impact on their children\u2019s knowledge and skills in literacy, music, and art. FIGURE 3 shows the percent of parents who reported \u201cvery positive,\u201d \u201cpositive,\u201d or \u201cneither positive nor negative\u201d impact of ABCmouse on various subject areas for their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"661\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-3-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x661.png\" alt=\"Percent of parents\/caregivers indicating the impact of ABCmouse on specific subject areas for their children. \" class=\"wp-image-65599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-3-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x661.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-3-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-3-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-768x423.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-3-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research.png 1430w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8d7329742f7b7d2442431a7794a50191 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Additionally, at least 8 out of 10 parents \/ caregivers indicated that ABCmouse helped their child develop confidence and persistence as learners, while helping them to be better prepared for kindergarten. FIGURE 4 shows parents\u2019 reports of how ABCmouse has affected their children\u2019s learning attitudes and readiness, beyond academic skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"723\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-4-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x723.png\" alt=\"Percent of parents\/caregivers reporting on ABCmouse's impact on their children's learner identities and attitudes toward learning. \" class=\"wp-image-65602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-4-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x723.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-4-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-4-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-768x463.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-4-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research.png 1308w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-fef93139223a167504232a98eb479d13 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">The results demonstrate overwhelmingly positive parental perceptions of ABCmouse\u2019s educational impact, especially in arts and humanities subjects. The fact that zero parents reported negative impacts across any subject areas, and that the lowest rating was neutral, suggests that ABCmouse consistently delivers valuable educational content across all subject areas from parents\u2019 perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9b0844a0033d7179c760a9fd03782170 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">What makes these findings especially meaningful is that they address critical non-academic skills (e.g., learning dispositions, learner identities, or academic enablers) which are fundamental to long-term academic success. The high percentage of parents\/caregivers reporting improved confidence, persistence, and goal-setting behaviors suggests that ABCmouse helps develop not only knowledge, but also essential learning behaviors and attitudes that will serve children throughout their academic careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b2a8628d9d9fcace476ada151df57eed wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Finally, all parents\/caregivers indicated that they are likely to recommend ABCmouse to a friend or<br>another parent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9b9f931cfbd1b54c1d642b2d9fd0a300\" style=\"color:#01075f\">Finding 4: In interviews, parents reported that ABCmouse\u2019s combination of engaging interactive content and comprehensive coverage of early learning topics led to observable improvements in children\u2019s foundational skills, especially in literacy, communication, and school readiness.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c1039c12df76f374dd5dd927544683b3 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Seventeen parents\/caregivers volunteered to participate in end-of-study interviews, which provided insight into how both parents and children engaged with ABCmouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-044206adbeb6d45b4b546b4e8eb8fe65 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">While parents\/caregivers spoke extensively about their children\u2019s enjoyment and engagement with the program, some of the most compelling comments reflected ABCmouse\u2019s impact on learning and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-abe886601bba2972b676c948dac0fc09 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">One parent\/caregiver spoke about her son\u2019s ability to transfer knowledge from the app to real life, demonstrating multiple areas of development (speech, reading, shape recognition):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-background\" style=\"border-color:#2D56BF;border-width:1px;border-radius:15px;background-color:#80808021;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c43425a1ae49a84af5f30e22af453609 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong>\u201c<\/strong>He\u2019s identifying different shapes around the house\u2026. So just seeing how he can see it on the tablet and then how he would connect it to real life. It has also helped him a lot with communication \u2026he\u2019s talking to the tablet and talking back to the programs.\u2026 he is talking a lot better\u2026 and reading too. And it kind of blew my mind because he is pretty much reading now. We\u2019ll go out somewhere and he\u2019s reading off the menu pizza, fries\u2026. So one day I started typing words in the Word document and he was reading them off, colors and numbers and days of the week<strong>\u201d<\/strong> <strong>(Parent of 3-year-old boy, CA)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-02bb86bb32120e4be51b458ce4e058c5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">FIGURE 5 shows screenshots of several games available in ABCmouse where students practice foundational reading skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"703\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-5-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x703.png\" alt=\"Phonics, vocabulary, and reading games in ABCmouse. \" class=\"wp-image-65608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-5-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x703.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-5-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-5-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-768x450.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-5-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research.png 1372w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b691228389a19397a8feb0b15cfd6faf wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Another parent\/caregiver highlighted the power of ABCmouse in translating learning into real-world physical skills and motivation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-background\" style=\"border-color:#2D56BF;border-width:1px;border-radius:15px;background-color:#80808021;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d7b81fba54f424da7eea842eb0f2c94b wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong>&#8220;<\/strong>ABCmouse has made it so interesting for her to learn the numbers, to learn her letters. And even right now, I think she\u2019s on the steps where it\u2019s helping her trace the numbers and trace the letters, and she\u2019s picked up more of the pencils and picked up her crayons to want to do more of the letters and the numbers.<strong>&#8221; (Parent of 4-year-old girl, CA)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7bf99f9b8315822ec56c8965e622ebbb wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">This kind of unprompted extension of learning from digital to physical activities is what educators and parents\/ caregivers hope to see from educational technology. FIGURE 6 below shows samples of screenshots of content in ABCmouse that encourage active participation and learning through various modalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"637\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-6-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x637.png\" alt=\"Digital scenes for the video series 'read with me, move with me' from the ABCmouse app. \" class=\"wp-image-65612\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-6-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x637.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-6-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-6-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-768x408.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-6-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research.png 1412w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3a9f5a83a65cff5a5e6eb0be45c4680b wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Parents\/caregivers also commented on how ABCmouse naturally supports bilingual learning and language development, illustrating its value for diverse populations and its ability to bridge home and school language environments. \u201cShe\u2019s bilingual and she would practice more for English, but she would translate it. She\u2019s like, mom, this is in English and in Spanish. And I\u2019m like, okay, you\u2019re learning\u2026. she likes learning both languages\u201d (Parent of 5-year-old girl, TX).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-510a2d7cf6f435e8c22417336557642d wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Another parent indicated, \u201cI like the whole program, how it just teaches them different things, patterns, colors, numbers. That\u2019s something, as a parent, you want to teach\u2019em all those things\u201d (Parent of 3- and 4-year-old girls, CA), highlighting the comprehensive skill development that is fostered through using ABCmouse. Rather than focusing narrowly on one area (e.g., letters or numbers), the program takes a holistic approach to early learning, which is more effective for young children\u2019s development. FIGURE 7 shows screenshots of sample ABCmouse games in which concepts are taught in interconnected way rather than in isolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"442\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-7-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x442.png\" alt=\"Patter recognition games for kids on ABCmouse.com. \" class=\"wp-image-65616\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-7-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-1200x442.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-7-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-300x111.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-7-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research-768x283.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Figure-7-Beyond-Screen-Time-Research.png 1422w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e31d9aa2f533f58732cf7fb874f3c86b wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">A perhaps unexpected, but valuable benefit of using ABCmouse was that it created opportunities for family learning and sibling interaction. Parents\/caregivers reported that their children\u2019s enthusiasm for learning through ABCmouse naturally extended to sharing experiences with siblings and other family members, creating an enriched learning environment at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-14147ed720f61bfb5dccb65fc70325d9 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">One parent\/caregiver described how her child\u2019s learning became a shared experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-background\" style=\"border-color:#2D56BF;border-width:1px;border-radius:15px;background-color:#80808021;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-764894e4699bbba4f1c9badeb4cd602b wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">\u201cHer favorite experience is her talking to her sister about it. She\u2019s like, I learned this, I learned\u2026Look. And her sister\u2019s like, oh, can I try it?\u201d <strong>(Parent of a 4-year-old girl, CA)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-08c24a9070112db0a0016f1cd53aabb9 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Such observations indicate how digital learning can enhance rather than isolate social interactions and how it can transform individual screen time into shared family learning experiences. They also suggest that ABCmouse not only supports children\u2019s academic growth but also helps create a culture of learning within the home, where knowledge and achievements are shared and celebrated among family members. This kind of family engagement is widely recognized as an important factor in early childhood educational success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ABCmouse Research Study Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-033af0e14db33df128b25033587c15f6 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">The results of this study demonstrate that ABCmouse can significantly enhance early learning outcomes when used consistently at home. Children who used ABCmouse showed dramatic improvements across multiple areas, from 2.5 times greater growth in phonological processing to twice the growth in mathematical reasoning compared to their peers. Beyond these academic gains, the program fostered crucial learning behaviors like persistence and confidence, while supporting bilingual development and school readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6a18bb9474ebe0f61a55328934a5ac41 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">These findings are particularly significant considering that quality early learning experiences are essential for kindergarten readiness and long-term academic success. While concerns about screen times are valid, this study adds to growing evidence that well-designed educational technology, when used appropriately, can be a powerful tool for both individual and family learning. As families navigate preparing young children for academic success, ABCmouse emerges as a research-validated solution that not only engages children and delivers measurable results but also creates meaningful opportunities for family interaction and collaborative learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">References:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-caed1b7462acc35f9415895ee64d58eb wp-block-paragraph\">1. Madigan, S., Browne, D., Racine, N., Mori, C., &amp; Tough, S. (2019). Association between screen time and children\u2019s performance on a developmental screening test. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(3), 244\u2013250.<br>2. Council on Communications and Media. (2020). Media and young minds. Pediatrics, 146(1), e20201242.<br>3. Griffith, S.F., Hagan, M.B., Heymann, P., Heflin, B.H., &amp; Bagner, D.M. (2021). Apps as learning tools: A systematic review. Pediatrics, 147(1), e2020015687<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2936dcbcb861e701740685d32f73f59a wp-block-paragraph\">4. Schrank, F. A., McGrew, K. S., &amp; Mather, N. (2014). Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Rolling Meadows, IL: Riverside<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4c5681fd24f2c4c24b2c023494f3263a wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><br>TM &amp; \u00a9 2025 Age of Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. The names of other companies, products, and services are the property of their respective owners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research shows ABCmouse supports early gains in reading and math for preschoolers, with strong parent feedback on school readiness and engagement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":19887,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[153],"class_list":["post-65574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abcmouse","tag-research"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65574"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65574\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}