Interested in participating in research in person? Find a list of labs that study child development in your state.
Did we miss your lab, or one you know about? Our apologies, and please let us know at lookit-ed@mit.edu
To contribute to other scientific research as a family, check out SciStarter, which has many citizen science projects suitable for elementary school children and up!
Want to learn more about cognitive development? Here are some activities that may give you some insight into your own child's developing mind. Instead of studies our lab is running, these are "at home labs" for parents to try on their own--but please feel free to contact us with any questions!
Age range: 2.5 to 5 years
What you'll need: For the "Maxi and the chocolate" story, any props you'd like (you can try drawing a picture or acting out the story). For the word-learning task, two containers to hold two objects your child doesn't know a name for (weird kitchen tools, bike parts, etc.).
In this lab, you'll see how your child thinks about what other people are thinking. Children under about four years old tend to have trouble expressing what's going on when someone else knows less than they do. They will often insist that everyone knows what they themselves know!
Age range: 1 to 5 years
What you'll need: At least ten small objects your child can pick up, like pegs or Cheerios.