Reading Bees: a free app to help families read together with young children
Reading Bees: Adapting and Testing a Mobile App Designed to Empower Families to Read more Interactively with Children in Distinct Geographical and Cultural Contexts
A free mobile app designed to help parents and caregivers of young children—especially in underserved or rural communities—read more interactively at home.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184327 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your child would use a free app that offers step-by-step reading prompts, age‑appropriate activities, and culturally relevant tips to make shared reading easier and more engaging. The team will adapt the app’s language and examples for different regions and cultural settings, then try it with families in those communities. Health providers may introduce the app during routine visits to connect families with reliable literacy resources. Researchers will track how often families read together, parent confidence, and child engagement to see if the app changes home reading habits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are parents or caregivers of young children (especially ages 0–6) in underserved or rural areas who want support for home reading routines and have access to a smartphone.
Not a fit: Families without a smartphone or reliable internet, or children with severe unaddressed hearing or communication disorders, may not gain benefit from the app alone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could increase shared reading at home and help more children enter school better prepared to learn to read.
How similar studies have performed: Previous parent-coaching and shared-reading programs have improved child language and school readiness and digital tools show promise, but this locally tailored app approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hutton, John S. — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Hutton, John S.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.