Research-Backed Design
Every card, prompt, and interaction in My First Tarot is carefully crafted based on extensive research in child development and therapeutic best practices.
Research Articles Reviewed
Expert Contributions
Age-Appropriate Content
Our Research Foundation
Developmental Psychology
We've deeply studied Piaget's preoperational stage (ages 4-7) to ensure every card matches children's cognitive capabilities. Our content uses concrete thinking, simple language, and focuses on observable experiences rather than abstract concepts.
1-5 word sentences, concrete examples, focus on "I feel" statements
6-10 word sentences, beginning perspective-taking, simple cause-and-effect
Emotional Intelligence Research
Based on research from emotional literacy studies and the RULER approach (Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence), we teach children to Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, and Regulate emotions through age-appropriate vocabulary and body-sensation connections.
Research shows emotion vocabulary predicts emotional regulation ability
Evidence-Based Therapeutic Approaches
Our cards integrate principles from multiple evidence-based therapeutic modalities, all adapted for ages 4-7:
- •Play Therapy: 60-70% improvement rate, uses play as child's natural language for emotional expression
- •Modified CBT: Simplified feelings-thoughts-behaviors connections, concrete coping strategies
- •Mindfulness: Brief, playful breathing exercises with visual supports improve attention and emotional regulation
- •Narrative Therapy: Externalizing problems to prevent shame, using age-appropriate metaphors
Growth Mindset Research (Carol Dweck)
We apply decades of research on growth mindset to build resilience and confidence. Our cards use process praise ("You tried hard!") rather than person praise ("You're smart!"), teaching children that abilities can grow with effort.
Critical Finding: Children praised for effort show 30% more persistence on challenging tasks than those praised for intelligence
Parent-Child Communication Research
Every parent guide incorporates evidence-based communication frameworks to help parents facilitate meaningful conversations:
- ✓Gottman's Emotion Coaching: Five steps to validate and guide children through emotions
- ✓Active Listening: Reflecting, paraphrasing, and validating without fixing
- ✓Co-Regulation: Supporting children's emotional regulation through calm presence
- ✓Attachment Theory: Creating secure base through consistent emotional support
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Our cards address age-specific social challenges with evidence-based strategies:
Common Challenges
- • Friendship conflicts
- • Sharing and turn-taking
- • Being excluded
- • Reading social cues
- • Expressing needs
Skills Taught
- • Initiating interaction
- • Empathy development
- • Conflict resolution
- • Emotional expression
- • Problem-solving
Our Design Principles
Developmentally Appropriate
Every word, image, and prompt is matched to the cognitive, emotional, and linguistic capabilities of children ages 4-7. We use concrete examples, simple language, and focus on observable experiences.
Strengths-Based
We focus on building skills and celebrating growth rather than fixing problems. Children learn they are capable, their feelings are valid, and challenges are opportunities to learn.
Parent Partnership
Every card includes guidance for parents to facilitate meaningful conversations. We provide scripts, conversation starters, and research-backed strategies for emotional coaching.
Play-Based Learning
Drawing cards is engaging and fun, using play as the natural language of childhood. Learning happens through exploration and discovery, not instruction.
Our Commitment to Transparency
While My First Tarot is grounded in extensive research, we want to be clear about what we are and aren't:
- ✓We are: An evidence-based tool for emotional learning and parent-child connection
- ✓We are not: Therapy, a replacement for professional mental health care, or a diagnostic tool
If your child is experiencing significant emotional or behavioral challenges, please consult with a licensed mental health professional. Our cards can complement professional support but never replace it.
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