Research on How Preschool and Parental Involvement Boost Student Learning

Children learn best when both their home and school environments support learning. A study published in the International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy found that kids who went to preschool and had involved parents had the highest scores in math and science.

When parents engaged in simple activities at home — such as reading books or playing number games — it helped their children perform better on tests, especially in math. The boost was even stronger when the child had also attended preschool for one or two years.

The study also found that number-related activities at home helped more than reading when it came to improving scores.

These results give teachers and parents useful ideas about the types of home learning that can make the biggest difference.

Understanding the Research

To understand how preschool and parent involvement affect learning, researchers looked at the test scores of 280,925 students in 52 countries. These students participated in an international test called TIMSS, which measures how well kids do in math and science.

The researchers checked how much preschool each student had (from none to three or more years) and how involved their parents were at home. Parent involvement included reading, playing number games, and singing songs. The researchers compared test scores based on these activities to see what worked best.

Here were the key findings of the study:

• Preschool attendance and parental involvement generally work well together.
• Children with one to two years of preschool and high parental involvement showed the strongest academic performance, particularly in math.
• However, when it comes to science performance, the benefit of parental involvement starts to decrease if a child has been in preschool for three or more years. (Possibly because additional input from parents adds little value at that point.)
• Parents helping with math-related activities at home had a greater positive impact on their child’s academic success than reading-related activities.
• In countries where many children attended preschool, the combination of parent support and preschool showed the highest improvements.

Practical Strategies for Parents and Caregivers

This study shows something important: the small things you do at home can really help your child do better — especially when they also go to preschool. If you’re a parent or caregiver, you don’t need special tools or a teaching degree to help your child learn.

Here are some ways to get started:

Talk about numbers around you

Show your child that math is all around! You can point out prices while shopping, count steps as you walk, or read the time together. This is a simple way to improve their number sense.

Praise the process, not just the results

When your child is working on a task — whether it’s solving a math problem, sounding out a new word, or trying something new — focus on their effort.

Let them know that you love how they kept trying and didn’t give up. This sends the message that learning is about practice and persistence, not just getting the right answer.

Limit overscheduling

While activities like sports, music lessons, or tutoring can be great, too many structured commitments can leave kids feeling tired.

Make sure they also get plenty of free time each day for unstructured play. This will allow them to explore ideas and solve problems on their own. Read our research article on adventurous play and child mental health.

The researchers are also suggesting that future studies should look more closely at how kids are raised and learn at home, and include these ideas in big international studies.

Download our mental health worksheets to help your child succeed — not just in school, but in life too!