TOYBOX at the 2026 AIM Collective

ToyBox Research Assistant Graduation and Achievements

May 11 & 12, 2026

On May 12, our TOYBOX team visited Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, to present project updates at the 2026 AIM Conference. Dr. Sheri-Lynn Skwarchuk opened our presentation by introducing the project and the TOYBOX team members, Taylor and Yeong. Sheri also showcased a recently published children’s picture book, Sharing Circle: A Treasury of Togetherness.

Sheri-Lynn (left), Taylor (centre), & Yeong (right)

Taylor continued by introducing the TOYBOX and explaining the structure of our play-based learning strategies, using a “Fun with Food” activity sample provided to the audience. A TOYBOX video created by Brian was also featured as a meaningful part of our project, demonstrating how playful learning expanded from 2D TOYBOX characters to 3D human-sized TOYBOX mascots, and finally into a 4D video experience, helping the audience visualize TOYBOX in real-life practice.

Yeong then presented the research outcomes in literacy, numeracy, and wellness. She outlined the research design, explaining how participants were divided into four study groups (Literacy, Numeracy, Wellness, and Control) and describing the study procedures: pre-test, 5-week intervention, and post-test. Unlike previous years, where the wellness group functioned as the control group, this year’s study treated wellness as a distinct category to recognize its growing importance in children’s learning.

Following this, Dr. Sheri-Lynn Skwarchuk presented the research findings in literacy, numeracy, and wellness.

We would like to acknowledge the hard work of all TOYBOX members throughout the interventions and extend special thanks to Nerissa and Camryn for their tremendous efforts in data collection and analysis.

The presentation concluded with reflections and future directions shared by Yeong and Taylor. Yeong reflected on how each child’s creativity enriched play-based learning, transforming the study from standard research into truly meaningful “play.” Taylor emphasized how collaborating with inner-city early childhood education (ECE) centres added greater depth to the project. She also shared future goals, which include expanding outreach to more ECE centres, increasing research sample sizes, and supporting broader communities.

We would like to thank Sandy Youmans and Queen’s University for inviting us to the 2026 AIM Collective. We also thank all presenters for sharing their insights, which led to valuable discussions and learnings. It was a pleasure to build connections through shared research findings and a mutual commitment to improving early mathematics education. We look forward to seeing everyone again at the next conference.

Left to right: Darcy Hallet, Sandy Youmans, Jo-Anne LeFevre and Sheri-Lynn Skwarchuk

Written by: Yeong

Edited by: Wynonna