Playtime with purpose: study tests if active games sharpen young minds
NCT ID NCT07488286
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This completed study looked at whether an 8-week program of playful, mentally engaging physical activities could improve executive functions (like self-control and memory) and school readiness in 48 preschool children. One group did the special program, while the other had standard physical education. The goal was to see if combining movement with thinking challenges gives kids an extra boost before starting school.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cognitively enriched playful physical activity program
- What this could lead to
- If the program works, it could point toward simple, fun ways to improve thinking skills and school readiness in young children.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 48 children. Results may not apply to all preschoolers, and the effects might be small or short-lived.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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48 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2025
- Finished
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Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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4 to 6 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Enrolled in preschool * No physical/intellectual disability * Parental consent Exclusion Criteria: * Neurological or developmental disorders * Sensory impairments * medications affecting Neurological system
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Manouba
Manouba, Tunisia
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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