The University of Otago study also shows that, through simple games and day-to-day tasks, parents can help their children learn self-regulation, a skill considered essential for success.
''It's always good to have more options out there for people,'' lead author Dione Healey, of the Otago department of psychology, said yesterday.
Dr Healey undertakes research into childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and has helped to develop the Engage programme.
This term refers to ''enhancing neurobehavioural gains with the aid of games and exercise'', and the programme strives to develop self-control skills in hyperactive preschoolers.
The ''current gold-standard treatment'' for these children is the positive parenting programme (Triple P).
This works by providing clear and logical consequences to guide behaviour, using techniques such as time out to allow children space to self-soothe.
Dr Healey was ''really excited'' that the latest study, of 60 families with children aged 3 and 4, showed the Engage programme was just as effective as Triple P.
Parents were asked to play various games, including puzzles, for half an hour a day, and the study has been published in Scientific Reports.
During one effective game, called ''Animal Speeds'' children move about the room at various speeds based on what animal name was called out.
Cheetah mode was fast, giraffe mode was moderate speed, and tortoise mode was really slow.
Self-regulation was ''essential for school readiness and success'', because children needed to be able to sit still, persist with tasks, and manage frustrations.
The Dunedin Study showed poor self-regulatory skills at age 3 predict adverse adult outcomes including higher rates of imprisonment, and higher unemployment rates, she said.
