Learning apps at home prepare children for school

Niklas, Frank; Birtwistle, Efsun; Mues, Anna; Wirth, Astrid

Abstract

The usage of high-quality learning applications (apps) at home may increase children's mathematical and literacy competencies. This approach was tested in a family intervention study. Intervention families (n = 302) in two German cohorts (N = 500; M (SD)age = 61.0 (4.6) months; n♀ = 302) received tablets with newly developed learning apps focusing either on mathematical or literacy learning for every-day usage at home across half a kindergarten year. Compared with two control groups with and without tablets, children in the intervention groups significantly enhanced their specific competencies (η2 = .03–.10). Higher app usage was associated with greater gains (ΔR2 = .01–.02). Consequently, an easy-to-apply app-based intervention supports children's development of cognitive competencies and helps prepare them for school.

Citation

Niklas, F., Birtwistle, E., Mues, A., & Wirth, A. (2025). Learning apps at home prepare children for school. Child Development, 96(2), 577-590. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14184

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 24, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Oct 24, 2024
• Publication Date: 2025-03
• Deposit Date: Apr 30, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: May 1, 2025
• Journal: Child Development
• Print ISSN: 0009-3920
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-8624
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 96
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 577-590
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14184
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/47815797
• Publisher URL: https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.14184
• Additional Information: Published: 2024-10-24