Welcome to the CUENTA Lab!

We study how young children learn through playful experiences that build on the strengths, knowledge, and everyday practices of families and communities. We partner with children, parents, and teachers to co-create games and joyful experiences that strengthen relationships, learning, and belonging.

CUENTA means both “to count” and “to tell” in Spanish – capturing our approach of building from families’ stories to support young children’s early math development in meaningful ways.

Lab Director

Vanessa N. Bermudez, Ph.D.

I am an Assistant Professor of Pscyholgical Science at Loyola Marymount University and Director of the CUENTA Learning Lab.

My work sits at the intersection of developmental psychology and education, with a focus on early childhood learning and development. Across my research, I create play-based educational programs that bridge developmental science with children’s everyday practices to strengthen connections across home, school, and community contexts. Much of my work has been conducted in partnership with Latine families and communities.