~Evaluation using the Childcare Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-3) demonstrates improvement in the quality of the environment in which children are raised~.
- The following is content from the press release -
(Head office: Chiba, Japan; President: Norimichi Shida), operator of the educational toy subscription service for preschoolers, "Toysub! (headquartered in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture; Norimichi Shida, President; hereinafter "Trana"), operator of the educational toy subscription service for preschoolers "Toys for Tots" (headquartered in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture; Norimichi Shida, President; hereinafter "Trana"), in a joint research project with Makiko Nakamuro Laboratory of Keio University and Like Kids, Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Yasuhiko Okamoto; hereafter "Like Kids"), a childcare support service provider, have obtained new findings on the effects of timely and appropriate use of educational toys on children's growth. We are pleased to announce the results of our evaluation using the Childcare Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-3).
Background of Joint Research
Intellectual and educational toys are used in homes and daycare facilities as items that support children's growth and development. In recent years, as interest in the quality of early childhood education has increased, attention has focused on how educational toys can contribute to the growth and development of children in their early childhood years. In order to make better use of educational toys for children's growth and development in the future, we are conducting research on the effects of timely and appropriate use of educational toys in cooperation with the Makiko Nakamuro Laboratory of Keio University, which specializes in educational economics, and Like Kids, which operates the Nijiiro Preschool.
Professor Makiko Nakamuro advocates the "need for scientific evidence in education" and conducts research to clarify the cause-and-effect relationship between education and outcomes. Nijiiro Nursery School also sees play as "an important element in nurturing children's minds and promoting well-balanced development. By collaborating with both organizations, we will advance our knowledge of how children can play with appropriate educational toys and explore the possibilities of utilizing educational toys in early childhood education.
Research and Results
In this study, with the cooperation of 3- and 4-year-old children and their parents in 14 schools and 28 classes at Nijiiro Nursery School (14 schools and 28 classes) of Like Kids, Inc. in FY2023, Toys sub! educational toys in fiscal 2023, and compared the quality of childcare in classes that did and did not use the Toys "R" Us toys. *Toysub. in FY2023! in FY2023 were used in FY2024.
The results show a statistically significant (at the 10% level) increase of 0.301 to 0.336 points on the 7-point ECERS-3 scale. This increase can be expressed in terms of the familiar deviation (mean of 50 with a standard deviation of 10), which is 6.13 to 6.84 points. The ECERS-3 is an internationally recognized evaluation tool that quantifies the quality of childcare and provides an objective assessment of the quality of the environment in which children are raised.
Toy Subs! s educational toys tended to significantly increase ECERS-3 "activity" scores, indicating that the quality of the environment in which children are nurtured improves in preschools that have introduced the Toys for Tots!
Future Outlook
The Evaluation of Child Care Environment Scale (ECERS-3) has already shown a strong correlation between the "quality of the child care environment" and "children's future academic performance" (Fujisawa, et al. 2024). The results of this study indicate that Toys sub! services may also contribute to children's future academic achievement.
In the future, we plan to conduct research with a longer-term perspective to elucidate the long-term effects of Toys "R" Us services on children's development! services on children's development from a longer-term perspective. Based on the results of this research, we will also work to select more effective educational toys and improve the value of the service as a child-rearing support service.
Outline of Joint Research
- Research: Effects of timely and appropriate use of educational toys on growth and development
- Joint research team: Trana Corporation, Makiko Nakamuro Laboratory, Keio University, Like Kids Co.
- Start of research: July 2023
Professor Makiko Nakamuro, Faculty of Policy Studies, Keio University Comments
The latest research indicates that teaching children in early childhood to anticipate elementary school studies may instead be counterproductive. The ECERS-3 "Activities" section assesses whether "the child's exposure to, involvement with, manipulation of, creation of, and engagement with objects supports the development of the child's ability to move toward learning, The ECERS-3 "Activities" area assesses whether the program "supports children in touching, interacting, manipulating, creating, and engaging with objects and fosters their capacity for learning. In this study, the Toy Sub! has shown the potential to improve the quality of childcare in the "activity" area.
Mr. Yasuhiko Okamoto, President and Representative Director, Like Kids Co.
Like Kids, Inc. is committed to the philosophy of nurturing the "zest for life (= rich sensitivity + consideration for others + ability to think and act independently)" through rich encounters and experiences with people, things, and nature, while staying close to the heart of each and every child. The results of this research have led to the development of Toys "R" Us! We are very pleased that the results of this research have confirmed the significance of the "activity" area through the educational toys of Toys "R" Us, and that this research is valuable not only to the nursery schools we operate, but also to the entire childcare business.
Comments by Norimichi Shida, President of Trana Corporation
Through this joint research with Makiko Nakamuro Laboratory and Like Kids, Toys sub! will contribute to future academic achievement. Toysub! will lead to an improved environment for children's activities, so we will continue to improve the service and expand the number of places where children can actually experience Toys "R" Us! We will continue to improve the service and expand the number of locations where children can actually experience Toys "R" Us.
Toys for Tots! Service Overview
Toysub! is a subscription-based educational service that delivers educational toys tailored to the growth of each preschooler from 0 years and 3 months to 6 years old. Under the corporate vision of "Let's increase happy parent-child time," the service has been in operation since November 2015 and has been the "No. 1* registered member for educational toy subscription" for three consecutive years. *Surveyed by TPC Marketing Research Inc. as of August 2023
A toy planner, a professional in the field of educational toys, will propose the most suitable educational toys from a selection of approximately 1,800 toys, completely personalized according to your child's growth and development. Six educational toys with a total retail value of 17,000 yen or more will be exchanged and delivered every two months.
Overview of Trana Corporation
Name: Torana Inc.
Representative: Norimichi Shida, Representative Director
Location: Universe Chiba Bldg. 1F, 20-16 Tsuruzawa-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City
Date of establishment: March 6, 2015
Main business: Operation of "Toysub!", a subscription service for educational toys for children aged 0 years and 3 months to 6 years old. Operation of
Corporate website:https://torana.co.jp/
Toy Sub!" Service Site:https://toysub.net
