Learning Science and Engineering From Videos and Games: A Randomized Trial of PBS KIDS The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!

Preschool-age children receive little formal instruction regarding science and engineering concepts. Digital media interventions have been effective in supporting young children’s literacy and mathematics skills, but there is little evidence of their efficacy in building science and engineering skills. This article reports on an experimental study of the impact of access to science- and engineering-focused games and videos on the knowledge and skills of 4- and 5-year-old children. The intervention led to statistically significant positive impacts on children’s understanding of structure stability ( d = 0.40, p < .001) and the relationship between material properties, force, and movement ( d = 0.38, p < .01). These results provide causal evidence that digital media can support young children’s science learning.