Most visits take about 30-45 minutes. During your first visit, we’ll review the consent form, answer any questions, and ask you to complete a brief demographic questionnaire before it’s time to play the games! The final (24-month) visit is long (about 90-120 minutes) because it includes a developmental assessment.

iLearn follows children over time, with visits at 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. The number of visits your family completes depends on your child age when you enroll.

For most visits, your infant will play two learning games: the Looking Game and the Train Game.

Looking Game: Your child watches abstract images on a screen while we track where they look. After a short time, looking at one of the images turns on a pleasant sound. We observe how your infant’s looking changes as they learn about the relationship between where they look at what happens. This game takes about 5-10 minutes.

Train Game: Your infant sits in front of a minature train set with a large lever. At first, pressing the lever doesn’t do anything. Then, pressing the lever makes the train move around the track. We observe how you child’s pressing changes as they learn that their actions make the train move. This game takes about 6-12 minutes.

These games help us understand how infants learn that their actions can make interesting things happen.

At the 24-month visit, your child will complete a standardized developmental assessment called the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley). The Bayley includes many fun activities that help us understand your child’s language, thinking, and motor skills. Some activities may feel familiar, like drawing or playing with blocks, while others involve solving simple puzzles or finding hidden toys.

Because the Bayley includes many different activities, the 24-month visit is longer than the earlier visits and usually lasts 90-120 minutes.

As a thank you for participating, your family will receive baby’s first paycheck ($25 for each visits through 18 months and $50 for the 24-month visit) along with fun CAP Lab goodies (such as tote bags, bibs, or sippy cups) and a certificate of participation for your little one.

We offer free parking, and a member of our research team will meet you and help you find your way to the lab. If you’re bringing other children, we can keep siblings entertained in our family room during the session. Just let us know ahead of time so we can be have age-appropriate toys and activities ready!