Studies at the StarLab
Our research is made possible by interested parents like you participating in our studies with their children! Our studies are set up as short games or activities for your child, and you can participate just by coming in for a short visit. Visits usually take only about 30 minutes, and we provide free parking just outside our centre.
Feel free to contact us for more information, at 416-978-7819 or starlab@utoronto.ca.
Here's what you can expect
during an visit to the StarLab with your child!
Signing up
Once you’ve signed up, we will contact you when we have a new study for your child's age group. If you'd like to participate, we'll schedule a time for you to come in that works best for you (we are able to schedule visits on evenings or weekends if you prefer). We can provide free parking, and we are easily accessible by TTC. Please feel free to bring your other children along as we have a child-friendly reception room with toys and games and fun research assistants to keep your children busy!
When you arrive
Once you’ve arrived, we'll walk you to our reception area where your child can play with our toys while getting acquainted with the researchers. In the meantime, our researchers will provide a more detailed description of the study and go over the consent form that allows your child to participate. Our researcher will also be happy to answer any questions you may have.
During the study
Once you and your child are ready, your child will start the activity with one of our researchers in our adjacent study rooms. Studies with preschoolers and older children are typically done in the study room while parents watch a live-stream video from the adjoining room. Studies with younger infants typically take place with both the parent and infant in the study room together. The study will usually take around 5-15 minutes.
After the study
Once the study is over, your child can choose a small prize as a token of our appreciation! Our researchers will be happy to answer any other questions you may have after seeing the activity. If you're interested, we're also happy to keep you updated with our most recent findings over time!