The Lab
Hypothesis · Yes. Rock-paper-scissors gives fair tension, knocking down the tower turns subtraction into a visible thrill, the three-way choice provides strategic tension, and short, comeback-friendly rounds lower the barrier to “one more round.”
Key metric · Spontaneous “one more round” rate R ≥ 50%
Hypothesis · Yes. When something shifts from “being told to do it” to “clearing my own levels,” the child's resistance disappears — because the motivation moves from external to internal.
Key metric · Over 7 consecutive days, an unprompted self-completion rate ≥ 70%
Hypothesis · Yes. Map abstract duration onto a concrete, visible physical change (sand, light, a progress bar), and a child can build the intuition “this long = this much.”
Key metric · Without looking at a clock, estimate “5 minutes” with an error < 50%
Hypothesis · They become more active. When what gets seen and recorded is “curiosity” rather than “amount completed,” a child is more willing to ask — and more willing to read to find the answer.
Key metric · The weekly trend in the number of “why / how come” questions the child asks unprompted