CosmoKidz is an evidence-based program of conversational activities between adults and children that builds kids’ capacities to care for self, others, their relationships and their environments. On this page you can learn more about the research done on CosmoKidz.

CosmoKidz is an evidence-based program of conversational activities between adults and children that builds kids’ capacities to care for self, others, their relationships and their environments. On this page you can learn more about the research done on CosmoKidz.

How do we know

CosmoKidz works?

From 2014 to 2022, we conducted research to test the effectiveness of using CosmoKidz to develop children’s abilities to communicate in ways that help make better social worlds. The research has been conducted in the United States as well as overseas, generously supported by the CMM Institute and in partnership with the Kettering Foundation and with support from the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund.

The first five years focused on individual classrooms within larger school systems. The last three years took a view of an entire school culture.

How do we know CosmoKidz works?

From 2014 to 2022, we conducted research to test the effectiveness of using CosmoKidz to develop children’s abilities to communicate in ways that help make better social worlds. The research has been conducted in the United States as well as overseas, generously supported by the CMM Institute and in partnership with the Kettering Foundation and with support from the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund.

The first five years focused on individual classrooms within larger school systems. The last three years took a view of an entire school culture.

Three Year Program in Arizona

At Mountain Vista School in Oracle, Arizona, we researched the impact of using CosmoKidz activities from Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade, including a Special Education Class.

After 6 months of implementing CosmoKidz activities in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade classes, we found that children as young as 5 years can meaningfully engage in CosmoKidz conversations and contribute to decision-making around social and emotional issues relevant to them; that 15 interpersonal communication skills and actions improved over time; and, that these skills and actions carried over into other contexts. It was also noted that the SOAR theme played an important part in these developments.

The project covered more classes, including a pre-K and special education class, and the effects of activities were analyzed over a full year. We also included specific test sessions to assess the children’s deliberative capacities.

It was found that:

– The SOAR skill set did carry over for those children who participated in the 6 month pilot project.

– The use of CosmoKidz had a positive impact on children’s social behavior in the class, in the playground, and at home.

– The communicative skills fostered through CosmoKidz had a positive impact on children’s deliberative capacity.

– The positive impact of CosmoKidz activities increased with the frequency of the activities being engaged in.

The data from teachers, parents and students confirmed the continued development of kindergarten through second-grade children’s communication, social-emotional, and deliberative skills. In particular, the results of this 2 1/2 year research project have shown that:

– The essential communication skills upon which dialogue and deliberation rest can be learned and practiced with children as young as 4 years of age.

– Brief but daily or almost daily conversations/ activities about aspects of children’s social worlds increases awareness, fosters compassion, and carries over into non-classroom contexts.

Further Evidence Gathering

in Louisiana

With continued support from the CMMI and in partnership with the Kettering Foundation, we extended our evidence-gathering to include a rural and an urban school in a different social-cultural milieu in the state of Louisiana. In this project we also included many more classes in Kindergarten through Second Grade.

– Every teacher said using CosmoKidz made a positive difference in their students’ behavior and actions.

– These skills carried over at home and in other non-classroom contexts.

– Children developed deliberative skills and those skills improved with each successive deliberation.

The Louisiana project was extended into a second year for the urban school only, with a total of 9 classes participating.

The results of year 2 continued to show very positive improvements arising from CosmoKidz activities. Especially encouraging is the noticeable improvement of students’ communication/ deliberative skills across contexts.

With continued support from the CMMI and in partnership with the Kettering Foundation and the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund, we broadened our focus to study an entire pre-K through 4th-grade school culture in Independence.

The end of year one of the school culture study was interrupted by the pandemic. We resumed data collection during the 2021-2022 academic year as the school had returned to in-person instruction and COVID restrictions were more relaxed.

Beta Tests in Non-US

Cultural Contexts

Most of the 31 topics in CosmoKidz were chosen by kids themselves. We asked a variety of children ranging from 5 to 9 years in age to tell us what they face in their lives that they find difficult and challenging. The scenarios represent the topics that these children expressed to us (we added a few topics like taking care of the environment, showing love and kindness, and conscious breathing because we think they are important too). As we were developing the questions and activities, we also piloted these activities with a variety of children in different learning contexts, different socioeconomic levels, and in two different countries—the United States and Norway. Significantly, the issues of concern to children were the same across countries.

The CosmoKidz activities were trialed in Romania over 2016 and 2017 with a particular focus on using Cosmokidz in different settings to see the possible different effect on young children. Three institutions were included: two public institutions in a large city and a small private institution, based in a small city in Romania. And once again, despite a very different culture, CosmoKidz activities were found to have a positive impact on communicative skills.

Three Year Program in Arizona

At Mountain Vista School in Oracle, Arizona, we researched the impact of using CosmoKidz activities from Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade, including a Special Education Class.

After 6 months of implementing CosmoKidz activities in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade classes, we found that children as young as 5 years can meaningfully engage in CosmoKidz conversations and contribute to decision-making around social and emotional issues relevant to them; that 15 interpersonal communication skills and actions improved over time; and, that these skills and actions carried over into other contexts. It was also noted that the SOAR theme played an important part in these developments.

The project covered more classes, including a pre-K and special education class, and the effects of activities were analyzed over a full year. We also included specific test sessions to assess the children’s deliberative capacities.

It was found that:

– The SOAR skill set did carry over for those children who participated in the 6 month pilot project.

– The use of CosmoKidz had a positive impact on children’s social behavior in the class, in the playground, and at home.

– The communicative skills fostered through CosmoKidz had a positive impact on children’s deliberative capacity.

– The positive impact of CosmoKidz activities increased with the frequency of the activities being engaged in.

The data from teachers, parents and students confirmed the continued development of kindergarten through second-grade children’s communication, social-emotional, and deliberative skills. In particular, the results of this 2 1/2 year research project have shown that:

– The essential communication skills upon which dialogue and deliberation rest can be learned and practiced with children as young as 4 years of age.

– Brief but daily or almost daily conversations/ activities about aspects of children’s social worlds increases awareness, fosters compassion, and carries over into non-classroom contexts.

Further Evidence Gathering in Louisiana

With continued support from the CMMI and in partnership with the Kettering Foundation, we extended our evidence-gathering to include a rural and an urban school in a different social-cultural milieu in the state of Louisiana. In this project we also included many more classes in Kindergarten through Second Grade.

– Every teacher said using CosmoKidz made a positive difference in their students’ behavior and actions.

– These skills carried over at home and in other non-classroom contexts.

– Children developed deliberative skills and those skills improved with each successive deliberation.

The Louisiana project was extended into a second year for the urban school only, with a total of 9 classes participating.

The results of year 2 continued to show very positive improvements arising from CosmoKidz activities. Especially encouraging is the noticeable improvement of students’ communication/ deliberative skills across contexts.

With continued support from the CMMI and in partnership with the Kettering Foundation and the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund, we broadened our focus to study an entire pre-K through 4th-grade school culture in Independence.

The end of year one of the school culture study was interrupted by the pandemic. We resumed data collection during the 2021-2022 academic year as the school had returned to in-person instruction and COVID restrictions were more relaxed.

Beta Tests in Non-US Cultural Contexts

Most of the 31 topics in CosmoKidz were chosen by kids themselves. We asked a variety of children ranging from 5 to 9 years in age to tell us what they face in their lives that they find difficult and challenging. The scenarios represent the topics that these children expressed to us (we added a few topics like taking care of the environment, showing love and kindness, and conscious breathing because we think they are important too). As we were developing the questions and activities, we also piloted these activities with a variety of children in different learning contexts, different socioeconomic levels, and in two different countries—the United States and Norway. Significantly, the issues of concern to children were the same across countries.

The CosmoKidz activities were trialed in Romania over 2016 and 2017 with a particular focus on using Cosmokidz in different settings to see the possible different effect on young children. Three institutions were included: two public institutions in a large city and a small private institution, based in a small city in Romania. And once again, despite a very different culture, CosmoKidz activities were found to have a positive impact on communicative skills.

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