How to Give the Marshmallow Test

Last Updated: January 11, 2023 References

The original "marshmallow test" was conducted by researchers at Stanford. This little social science exam is designed to measure a child’s ability to delay gratification. If you want to see what your child’s patience is like, the marshmallow test is a great way to measure it! In this article, we’ll break down everything you’ll need to run the marshmallow test.

1

Put a marshmallow in front of the child.

Set your child up in an area with a chair, a table, and 1 marshmallow. In the academic experiment, researchers hid behind a two way mirror. You can accomplish the same thing with a video camera or a webcam in your computer.^{[1]
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2

Explain the test.

Tell your child the rules of this little experiment. Explain that you are going to leave the room and that he/she is welcome to eat the marshmallow while you are gone. However, if you return and he/she hasn't eaten the marshmallow, you will reward him/her with an additional marshmallow.^{[2]
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3

Exit the room.

Go out of view, but monitor your child if you can. Leave the room once the child understands that he/she either gets to eat one marshmallow now or two later. If you have a mirror or camera set up, watch your child to see if they struggle at all.

4

Wait a few minutes.

The longer you wait, the harder the marshmallow will be to resist. In the actual experiment, the psychologists waited up to 20 minutes to see if the children could resist the temptation. However, in this fun version of the test, most parents will prefer to only wait 2-5 minutes.^{[3]
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5

Go back and provide the reward.

Return and reward the child with an extra marshmallow if deserved. Allow them to eat both marshmallows. Explain that you are proud of him/her for being patient. If the child ate the marshmallow while you were gone, try to use the moment for teaching about delayed gratification.^{[4]
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- Enjoy watching the video recording of the test with your whole family, and with the child when he or she gets older. The kids will enjoy seeing their reaction regardless of how the test goes.

Community Q&A

Question

What age is this appropriate for?

Akitagem

Community Answer

This can be used on many ages, but ages 4-10 would be a good range.
Question

What is the point of this marshmallow experiment?

Community Answer

It is to help with self control, patience, leading and working in a group.
Question

What materials are needed?

SparkleGirl

Community Answer

A marshmallow, a camera, a child, a plate, and maybe a TV for showing them when they’re older.

Warnings

Don't overdo this. You want your kid to have a good time.

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This is not a scientific experiment. It is for fun and laughs. Show the father or mother the video when he gets home from work for extra laughs!

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The marshmallow test as described here does not have the controls of the famous scientific experiment. Enjoy the learning experience, but don't take the results too seriously.

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Don't assume the results define your child's future. Researchers have found that there are lots of factors influencing the marshmallow test: food insecurity, whether the child thinks the adult is trustworthy, and more. Once researchers controlled for family income, they found no difference between outcomes for kids who did or didn't wait for a second marshmallow.^{[5]
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Research source} Another study found that the kids were more likely to grab the first marshmallow if the experimenter had behaved unreliably in the past.^{[6]
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