ThinkPlayful Expands Testing Nationwide
Saint Louis, January 16, 2024 —
St. Louis startup ThinkPlayful™ is developing a playful learning app for smartphones and tablets that encourages parent-child interaction and supports families as ongoing participants in their children’s education. ThinkPlayful™ beta testing has expanded to include early childhood organizations and the families they serve throughout the USA.
ThinkPlayful app
ThinkPlayful™ gives families a joyful and low-lift way to support the foundations of young children’s education through active participation. Margo Smith, Director of Education, points out that decades of research show that essential skill development is preceded by positive relationships and that learning is broadened and enhanced as families learn and play together.
Unlike many apps that involve a lot of screen time, ThinkPlayful™ is designed to guide off-screen, developmentally appropriate learning activities using a voice-direction guided play methodology. The project emphasizes age-appropriate content, the power of technology and adaptive learning experiences, goal-driven and free play, positive interactions, the amplifying effects of family engagement, and the critical role that collaboration plays in moving the needle for children – particularly in historically marginalized and under-resourced communities.
ThinkPlayful™ is age-appropriate and fun for both kids and their parents. Playful learning options range from sorting and matching to backyard discoveries and creative play. The guided learning experience applies elements of game play, customization, and fun designed to build motivation, relationships, and learning outcomes. Families can save photos and highlights of their experience to a journal within the app, and then can share with friends, family and educators.
The cloud-based platform will enable Early Childhood organizations to manage classrooms, connect with families, demo activities, and monitor engagement and progress. Learn more at www.thinkplayful.com.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to support the education of children before they start school,” said Tyler Schwartz, Co-Founder. “These funds allow us to continue to test and perfect ThinkPlayful with a number of early childhood sites such as Head Start programs, home visiting programs and preschools. We encourage early ed teachers and administrators to join us in perfecting the app. Those who sign up will get free early access and a powerful way to increase family engagement.”
Small businesses with innovative science and technology solutions, and commercial potential are encouraged to apply to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF. Once a small business is awarded a Phase I SBIR/STTR grant (up to $256,000), it becomes eligible to apply for a Phase II (up to $1,000,000). Phase II awardees are expected to raise additional funding from 3rd party investors which the NSF will match by 50% (up to $1M). To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/
About the National Science Foundation's Small Business Programs:
America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million in funding to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.
Company Description
ThinkPlayful™ is produced in Saint Louis, Missouri, by former Ladue School District administrator and serial entrepreneur, Dr. Elizabeth Schwartz, and Tyler Schwartz, an innovative developer of multiple educational technology apps. A 2019 NSF/SBIR Phase I grant enabled the founders to build a prototype and test it with families and educators. The NSF SBIR Phase II award provides funding to improve the innovative product and bring the app to early childhood communities across the United States.