Illustration inviting children aged five to nine to take part in a 40-minute online study
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Oxford Brookes University is recruiting families for a short, child-friendly research session exploring how children choose what to focus on and how they tackle small, playful challenges. The project is run by Postdoctoral Research Assistant Nathan Pond (BSc Hons, MRes, AFHEA) with Dr Sunae Kim in the School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health.

At a glance

  • Who: Children aged 5–9 from the UK (a parent/carer joins the call).
  • What: 40-minute video call with a researcher; your child completes a simple computer puzzle and answers a few questions.
  • Why: To study healthy persistence and how children flexibly manage effort over time (self-regulation). Findings will inform a later intervention study.
  • Where: Online (home).
  • Thank-you: Entry into a prize draw to win one of two £50 Amazon vouchers.
  • Ethics: Approved by the University Research Ethics Committee (UREC 241858).
  • Sign up: Online here

What happens on the call

  • A researcher welcomes you, explains the activity and checks consent.
  • Your child completes a short computer-based puzzle task and chats about how they solved it.
  • The session is playful and designed to be engaging; breaks can be taken at any time.

What you’ll need (practical tips)

  • A laptop with camera and microphone, plus a stable internet connection.
  • A quiet, well-lit space where your child can sit comfortably next to you.
  • If your child prefers, headphones can help reduce distractions.
  • Please allow a few minutes before the start to test your camera and sound.
Oxford Brookes recruitment poster for a 40-minute online study with children aged five to nine
The Oxford Brookes recruitment poster circulated with the 2025 study announcement.

Safeguarding, privacy and accessibility

  • A parent/carer is present throughout; you’ll receive an information sheet and consent form before taking part.
  • Data are collected under Oxford Brookes research ethics and data-protection policies; you can withdraw at any time before anonymisation.
  • If your child would benefit from adjustments (extra breaks, slower pace, visual prompts), mention this on the sign-up form so the team can tailor the session.

Why take part

  • Contribute to new knowledge about children’s attention and problem-solving.
  • Give your child a positive taste of being an “honorary scientist”.
  • Entered automatically into the £50 Amazon voucher prize draw (two prizes available for participating families).

How to take part

Complete the short registration form online here, and then you’ll then be contacted to choose a convenient date and time for your online call. Places are limited, so early registration is recommended.

Project leads: Nathan Pond (Postdoctoral Research Assistant) and Dr Sunae Kim, School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health, Oxford Brookes University. UREC 241858.

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