New research shows that the quiet data collected behind the scenes of early childhood learning apps can show when a young child struggles with focus and impulse control. A pilot study by MDRC analyzed how preschoolers interact with educational software, finding that response times and accuracy rates offer clear clues about their development. This means schools might eventually spot attention challenges without using stressful, separate tests.
What Happened
Researchers with MDRC's Measures for Early Success Initiative ran a nine-week pilot involving 428 children in 29 classrooms across five states. The team studied whether metadata automatically generated by technology-based pre-K assessments could identify executive functioning struggles. Executive functioning includes mental processes like working memory, impulse control, and the ability to shift focus.
To test this, researchers analyzed data from Khan Academy Kids, which teaches literacy and math on tablets, and Kibeam, which uses a handheld, sensor-equipped device to track children interacting with physical books. Combining response speed with accuracy showed the strongest and most consistent relationship with traditional executive functioning assessments, with correlations ranging from 0.31 to 0.67.
Very fast responses did not reveal much. Instead, slower response times were far more informative, often showing when a child was distracted. The researchers did notice a ceiling effect: the data identified children with lower executive functioning skills but could not easily tell average and high performers apart. To verify these digital findings, some children also completed traditional, in-person cognitive tests, such as Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Revised and the Pencil Tap assessment.
The Bigger Picture
This pilot fits into a wider effort to bring digital screening tools into early education. Educators already use software like the Disability Detect App to quickly spot developmental delays across cognitive, attention, and sensory areas. The Food and Drug Administration has also cleared AI-based pediatric screening tools, such as Cognoa Canvas Dx and EarliPoint, as noted in a scoping review on AI pediatric screening.
Clinical experts still urge caution. A comprehensive review of cognitive assessments warns that digital game performance often has only a low-to-moderate connection to traditional clinical tests. Early childhood screeners can also fail to account for language differences. Second-language learners, for example, may take longer to process questions, meaning they need personalized testing accommodations rather than automated diagnoses. As we previously reported, school districts rarely study how well their technology purchases actually work in the classroom, which makes independent research necessary.
What This Means for Families
These findings show that digital play can offer a window into how children learn. Even so, parents do not need to worry if a child takes longer to answer questions on a tablet. Slower response times can simply mean a child processes information differently or is temporarily distracted.
Digital data cannot replace human observation. Traditional childhood games, like the classic Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song, have been turned into reliable assessment tools like the Head-Toes for Neurodiverse Learners assessment. Physical play remains the best way to monitor and support early development.
What You Can Do
- Play active games like 'Simon Says' or 'Freeze Dance' to naturally build and monitor your child's working memory and impulse control.
- Watch your child's patterns on educational apps. Frequent pauses or slow answers might mean the content is too difficult, or that they need a break.
- Ask your child's teachers if they use automated digital screeners and how they make sure these tools support diverse learning and language needs.