This blog is presented by Twin Science, a global education technology company empowering educators through AI-enhanced learning solutions.
Why does family bonding matter for lifelong learning?
Spending quality time together helps families feel closer, build trust, and create joyful memories. Children who regularly share activities with their families develop stronger communication and problem-solving skills.
At Twin Science, we believe even the smallest shared moments, like a walk or a game, help children grow curiosity, resilience, and empathy. These are the same qualities needed to thrive in both STEM learning and life.
Play games together – How can play strengthen communication?
Games encourage laughter, teamwork, and conversation. Board games, card games, or even cooperative video games are best for encouraging family members to listen and share ideas.
According to Twin’s vision, play is not just fun, it’s the foundation of active, social learning. Whether at home or in class, playful activities help children practice expressing feelings, debating ideas, and working toward shared goals.
Go for walks or hikes – Why does nature bring families closer?
Outdoor activities support both health and bonding. Walks, hikes, or camping give families a chance to unplug and notice the world around them. Twin’s philosophy highlights that learning is applied: real-world experiences, like observing how sunlight warms plants or how rivers flow, foster curiosity in children.
Have picnics or barbecues – How do shared meals build community?
Picnics and barbecues work best when you invite your family and friends to join you, which can create a fun and lively atmosphere. They allow families to gather, laugh, and share stories. Inviting friends makes the experience even more lively.
Create art together – How does creativity nurture resilience?
This is a great way to foster creativity and help your children express themselves as artists. Art projects let children express themselves and explore imagination. Talking through the creative process helps them see challenges as steps toward a bigger vision.
Play sports – How does teamwork shape life skills?
Sports are a great way to build healthy family connections and help your family members develop better teamwork skills. You can choose sports that don’t require too much equipment or too much space, so your family can enjoy it together. They encourage cooperation, responsibility, and healthy habits. Activities like basketball, football, or badminton teach families to rely on each other.
PS: What about AI?
Since AI has become one of the most influential topics of our age, AI is one of the most important topics to discuss in the family. If you want your children to gain AI literacy (a skill that is already becoming necessary to learn), share the word of Twin’s AI learning solutions to your kids’ teachers.
Ride bikes or scooters – What can shared journeys teach?
Riding together builds social skills and responsibility. Safe, family-friendly paths give space for conversation and discovery. You can also do this activity as a family while seeking out family-friendly paths that aren’t too busy, so your family can enjoy the activity together.
Watch a show or movie – Can reflection turn screen time into bonding?
Watching a show or a movie as a family can be a great bonding activity. Watching a movie together can be restful after a busy day. But the real bonding happens in the conversations afterward, what did you notice? How did it make you feel?
Twin encourages families and educators alike to make space for reflection. This turns even passive activities into moments of growth and dialogue.
Conclusion – How can small activities shape a stronger future?
Family bonding doesn’t need to be expensive. Simple acts build trust, resilience, and joy.
As Twin Science, we believe these shared experiences reflect our double-wing philosophy: one wing for knowledge and skills, the other for empathy and conscience. Together, they prepare children not just for exams, but for life.
Digital skills are in high demand. With the rise of smartphones, computer programs, and the Internet, kids now have the opportunity to learn new skills at an earlier age. When it comes to learning programming specifically, there’s a lot of advantages for children to start learning code from a young age. An article by National Science Education Center explains why learning programming is so beneficial to your child’s future. Here are some of the reasons why you should encourage your child to learn coding as soon as possible:
Programming Is a Life Skill
Most kids start learning how to code at a young age, and this is because programming is a life skill. When your child grows up, they’re likely to find a job that uses programming as part of their job. But why is programming so important to our everyday lives? Programming allows you to create software. You can use programming to create apps that can automate tasks, like scheduling an appointment or ordering groceries. You can also create software that helps businesses run more efficiently, like accounting software that helps accountants organize information.
It’s an Excellent Career Track
Programming is a great career track if you have a passion for it. With programming, you can learn how different computer systems work and then apply that knowledge to create new systems. There are also many online coding courses where you can learn how to code online. If you go to a computer programming school, you’re likely to earn a computer programming degree. These degrees are often higher than a standard high school degree. You can also find a computer programming job where you’re likely to earn decent money.
You Can Earn Money With Programming
If you know how to code, you can build your own software. You can charge people for your apps and software and earn money. You can also earn money by creating custom software for businesses. There are many websites that allow you to create custom software for businesses. You can also create your own software as an independent coder. You can write your own software and charge people for it. And, with so many programs and apps being created, you can create software that has a demand.
You Can Learn How Computers Work
Programming gives you the chance to learn how computers work. If you know how to code, you can learn more about how computers work. You can also learn about how algorithms work and how computer systems work. With coding, you get to learn about programming languages and how they work. You can become a better tech designer with coding and learn more about design.
There Are Multiple Software Developing For Girls
Programming is a great skill for your child to learn. There are many resources online for kids to learn coding. There are even coding apps for kids that allow them to learn coding and create games. And, there are even coding camps for girls that allow them to learn how to code. If your child is interested in coding, they can learn how to code.
Conclusion
Learn how to code with your child and they’ll reap the benefits of learning programming. It’s important to start your child off young, as they’ll want to learn how programming works much faster than you did. There are many benefits to starting them off early, like the chance to learn how to code, earn money, and learn how computers work, among others. With so many resources online for kids to learn coding, there’s no reason to wait.Once your child is comfortable with the basics of coding, they can build on that knowledge and learn more advanced coding languages. Kids can learn how to code at any age, but the earlier they start, the better. It’s important to encourage your child to learn coding, as it could change their lives.
Daily reading habits in children may be more influential for the healthy development in children. Experts claim that reading improves social and linguistic skills and supports cognitive development. There are some ways families and teachers can try to make reading a habit in young children. As technology merges into our everyday life, they can incorporate new technological innovations to encourage reading habits.
Benefits Of Reading Habit in Kids
Expands Vocabulary: Children learn words through getting exposing them. So, reading enables your child to come across different words and spellings. If you read to your child aloud, their brains can also learn the correct pronunciations of words.
Improves Communication Skills: This one may be a bit interrelated to the previous paragraph, as our ability to structure and comprehend meaningful and complex sentences stems from our vocabulary. So, children with good reading habits can express their feelings ad communicate with others more easily.
Increases Attention Span: Some children can have a pretty short attention span as a result of new media types which urge shorter and catchier media. However, a short attention span may cause many difficulties in kids’ later lives. Reading removes overstimulation and helps children to focus on an activity or a subject for a more extended period.
Boosts Your Child’s Imagination and Creativity: Books take the reader on a journey in the world of imagination. Children can explore life from the eyes of the book characters like a child, a racoon, a tree, or even a car. They can empathise with those characters and build creative ideas. Those fictional worlds enhance children’s creativity as they urge them to use their imagination.
Develops Your Child’s Analytical Skills: Reading children tend to produce more original opinions and question what they read, learned and were told. In addition, books give your child various scenarios through which they can explore different aspects of life. So, reading stimulates children’s analytical thinking skills.
Triggers Curiosity: Children learn about different places and cultures worldwide by reading books. The more they know, the more they grow curious about the world outside their home. Reading triggers children’s curiosity and helps them try to explore the world more.
7 Ways to Develop Reading Habit in Kids
Read for Them
You don’t need to wait for your children to start reading to develop a reading habit in your children. On the contrary, building a reading habit as early as possible tends to be more effective for a lifelong habit. You can sit by them every day for an hour and read their favourite stories to them. Any time would be good, but bedtime story time may be the best choice. This storytime can help your child to unwind at the end of the day as this cosy family activity gives them comfort and a sense of security.
Read With Expressions
Children can lose interest in a story told monotonously. You can change your tone, voice, and pronunciation according to the way a character would speak. You can also read the story with dramatic expressions to keep your children’s attention on you. Visualising the story in front of them helps them follow it and understand the word meanings.
Be a Role Model
Children take so many habits from their parents or elders in the family by simply watching them. So, if you make reading a habit yourself, it would be easier for your children to take this example and apply it to themselves. Make sure to create a time for yourself to sit and read even if your children play, draw, or watch something by themselves. Your being a role model will encourage them to read as well.
Create a Reading Space
Building a reading habit may take a long time for your child because children need time to discover what they like and don’t like. Create a reading corner decorated with big pillows and a comfy sitting area so your child enjoys spending time there. Also, having a library with different kinds of books at home encourages your kids to explore and discover their interests. Finally, ensure your children can safely reach their books so they can get a book if they want, even when you are not around.
Visit Local Libraries
Children get excited when they visit places because that means a new environment where they would have lots of things to explore. So make taking trips to libraries an activity with your children. They can discover new types of books, try new genres, and build a habit of picking up books to reads. You can also check out your local library’s programs to see if they have book clubs or story hours for kids.
Let Your Child Pick Their Books
Making kids love reading is one of the most necessary steps for building a reading habit. Children wouldn’t want to keep reading a book if they don’t like or aren’t interested in it. So, first of all, try to find the books they like. This way, they would want to read more as they will have a fun and engaging time.
Sign Your Kids Up For Book Clubs
Apart from the parents as role models, children also get influenced by their peers. If they have people around the same age with whom they can talk about books, their interests, and comics, they may get more motivated to read. That love for reading can quickly turn into a habit in future. Book clubs can be particularly beneficial for homeschooling students as they can connect with other students in their age group and get encouraged to build a reading habit.
How Does Technology Affect Reading Habits in Kids?
21st-century technology changed our reading habits drastically. It introduced a variety of reading platforms while there were only physical books, newspapers, etc., in the past. In this decade, we are experiencing a shift in reading habits from traditional to digital media. Some people believe that technology has adverse effects on the reading habits of students. They think digital media makes managing screen time for kids difficult. However, it has many benefits on children’s reading habits and learning experience as long as families and teachers use technology correctly and effectively. Applying innovative methods to education makes them better technology users with higher capabilities of media literacy.Digital media creates a diverse catalogue of e-books, interactive books, and audiobooks. So rather than replacing print books, it complements and supports them. Innovative technologies greatly support children’s engagement with stories as they develop new ways to interact with the text and narrative. A study in 2014 argues that digital media usage for younger children has been increasing as digital media technologies become more accessible each day. Although there is still a majority of people preferring print books, more and more people have started to prefer digital books for different reasons. Many parents whose child choose digital books say that their child enjoys using digital devices. Some say they like interactive books, while some say they like additional features of digital media. This way, embracing Edtech transforms teaching: Edtech contributes various features that help students with disabilities and makes learning a different journey.
Whether your child is just learning to write or you’re trying to help them develop and strengthen their fine motor skills, challenging them early on can have benefits that last a lifetime. One of the best ways to improve your child’s fine motor skills is by giving them small tasks and assignments throughout the day. By assigning small tasks like writing letters, numbers, shapes, and even drawing a simple picture they’ll be able to complete many in a short period of time which will improve their self-confidence and help them become more independent. Here are some other ways you can help your child with their fine motor skills
Teach your child how to use tools properly
The way your child uses tools can have a huge impact on their ability to use the tools required to complete tasks. For example, when your child uses an art crayon to draw, their hand muscles are more active and stronger than if your child, who uses a pencil. This will help your child develop fine motor skills and increase their ability to grasp and control objects. When it comes to using tools like scissors and a pencil, encouraging your child to grip the tool correctly and hold it at the correct angle will have a huge impact on their future. Most importantly, teaching your child how to use tools properly can help build confidence and self-esteem.
Play games to improve your child’s fine motor skills
When children are young they usually have very little experience with fine motor skills, so they can become frustrated and anxious when tasks take longer than they normally would. This can lead to low self-esteem and feelings of frustration for your child and for you as their parent. If your child is having trouble with fine motor skills, playing games can be an excellent way to improve them. Many games use imagery and colours to help develop your child’s visual perception, which can be helpful for those with a cognitive delay.
Encourage finger play and activities that require grasping
Encouraging finger play and activities that require grasping can help children develop the muscles used for grasping and holding objects. This is particularly helpful if your child has been injured and has weak hands. While playing games that don’t require fine motor skills, (such as sports or board games) can be an excellent activity to help improve your child’s fine motor skills.
Don’t force your child to use their fingers when they can’t yet
If your child is having difficulties using their fingers, don’t force them to use them. This may cause them to become frustrated and even develop an anxiety around using their fingers. It is important to understand that each child develops at their own pace, so don’t force your child to use their fingers when they are not ready.
Plan ahead and make organisation a habit
Planning ahead, even just the day before, can help your child to stay organised and make managing daily tasks easier. Organising your child’s daily life can help them to make better decisions and feel more in control of their own life. It can also help your child learn how to manage their time better which can help prevent impulsiveness and excessive behaviour.
Conclusion
In order to improve your child’s fine motor skills, you can encourage them to complete small tasks, such as writing letters or numbers, drawing simple pictures, and using tools correctly. You can also play games that require better hand/eye coordination and improve your child’s ability to grasp and hold objects. If your child is having difficulty using their fingers, don’t force them to use them. Instead, help your child understand that they are ready when they are able to use their fingers. And, try to keep daily tasks and responsibilities as simple as possible so your child doesn’t become frustrated.Additionally, plan ahead and organise your child’s life so they can better keep track of their daily tasks. By implementing these tips, you can help your child become more self-confident and confident in their daily life.
Are you in search of thoughtful back-to-school gifts for your kids that can make the transition smoother and more enjoyable? Starting a new school year can be stressful for both parents and children, and it’s natural to want your child to thrive academically while having fun. To help ease the back-to-school jitters, we’ve compiled a list of fantastic gift ideas that your children will genuinely appreciate. These gifts not only keep them engaged but also help them prepare for the upcoming academic year.
1. STEM Learning Activity Kits
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) kits are a fantastic way to introduce your children to the wonders of science and engineering. They come equipped with all the necessary tools for conducting experiments and delving into scientific principles. These kits cover a wide range of subjects, including earth science, chemistry, biology, and more. By engaging in hands-on activities and fun experiments, your child can develop an early interest in STEM and potentially pave the way for a future in research, technology, and engineering.
2. Build-a-Bot or LEGO® Robot Kit
Children are fascinated by robots, making build-a-bot kits and LEGO® robot kits excellent choices. These kits encourage creativity and problem-solving as kids collaborate with siblings or friends to construct their own robots. Once built, they can program these robots to perform various tasks, fostering critical thinking skills and instilling a passion for exploration and learning.
3. Twin Science Autonomous Vehicle Kit
Autonomous vehicles represent the future of robotics, offering an exciting opportunity for your child to explore programming and robotics. These kits teach coding in an engaging and enjoyable way. Your child can embark on adventures with their autonomous vehicle, honing critical thinking and problem-solving skills while gaining a deeper understanding of coding and robotics.
4. Puzzles and Tic Tac Toe Games
Puzzles are exceptional tools for enhancing cognitive skills, memory, and critical thinking. They encourage better decision-making and active participation in daily life. Consider a variety of puzzles, from jigsaw to interactive puzzles, to stimulate your child’s mind. Additionally, tic-tac-toe games improve focus and attention.
5. Engineering Set or STEM Toy
For children interested in STEM, engineering sets and STEM toys provide a wealth of opportunities. These sets come complete with tools for various experiments and exploration of scientific principles like earth science, chemistry, and biology. They foster critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, making them fantastic gifts for aspiring scientists and engineers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the back-to-school season can be a stressful time for both parents and children. However, by selecting thoughtful gifts that align with your child’s interests and educational goals, you can help them navigate this transition more smoothly. Remember to prioritize sleep, a healthy diet, and physical activity to ensure your child is well-prepared for the challenges of the new school year. With these gifts and your support, your child can look forward to an exciting and successful academic journey.
Financial literacy is ‘the confluence of financial, credit, and debt management knowledge that is necessary to make financially responsible decisions.’ says Investopedia. Basic financial knowledge helps you manage your finances and savings to avoid debt.
Teaching financial literacy is one of the key elements in the stages of child development because those kids will become adults someday and have to make educated decisions on their finances. By creating financial awareness, you can protect them from bad financial decisions, debts or even bankruptcy in future. So it is quite important to have financial education in schools as well as teaching science skills to children.
What is the Best Age to Start Teaching Financial Literacy?
We form most of the good habits that stay with us for our lifetime in early childhood; as the old saying goes, “You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.” For example, influential research by Sue Bingham and David Whitebread of the University of Cambridge suggests that many of our financial habits are set by age 7. That means we form a basic financial knowledge even before learning how to read.
The best age to start teaching financial literacy is between 3 and 5 years. Then, the parents or the instructors should expand that financial education as the child grows an understanding of the concepts.
How Do You Introduce Financial Literacy to Your Child?
Be Honest With Them About Money
One of the best healthy development tips for kids and the best ways to support their financial awareness may be having open and honest conversations with them about the family finances. Of course, this does not mean you should share every little detail with them, but it may be best to inform them about your budget or if you are going through tough financial times. That way, they can understand why they can’t buy something non-essential. Creating this kind of financial awareness can also teach when to reduce their expenses in future.
Give Them Allowance
You may want to supply your child with whatever they want, but that may not be the best idea. For example, giving them money every time they ask usually confuses children later because you create a wrong notion that money is an infinite source. Instead, one of the best ways to teach financial literacy to students is by giving them weekly allowances. This way, children learn about the value of money and budgeting and start prioritising their needs.
How To Help Kids to Save Money
Discuss Wants and Needs
It is crucial to differentiate what we need and what we want when it comes to managing money. So, start teaching your children how to determine if they need something or if it’s just something they want by using analytical thinking. It helps them to prioritise their needs and save money.
Set Savings Goals
Having a goal to achieve is much more motivating, especially for children. Or else, they could easily get disrupted and give up on saving money. You can start setting a weekly goal and plan how much money they can save in a month. But it is important to set an achievable amount of money so they wouldn’t get discouraged.
Urge Them to Make Plans About How They Spend Their Saved Money
Apart from having a goal, a purpose motivates children most in saving money. So encourage your children to plan with their saved money for the future. It can be going to an amusement park, having a special toy or a bicycle they wanted for so long! Dreaming about the long wished thing they can have at the end keeps their saving on track.
Provide a Place to Save
One of the main things that help children save money is to have a safe place to put it. So get your child a prettily decorated piggy bank. Children love them! They encourage children to save money to fill up the banks. The exciting wait to open their banks at the end of the week or the month is another thing to motivate them.
Activities to Teach Financial Literacy to Kids
Ages Between 3 – 6
Cash Puzzler
This game aims to put shuffled pieces of a puzzle to form a complete bill. You can print or draw every banknote and cut them to exact pieces. After shuffling all the puzzle pieces, choose between different denominations of bills – 5$, 20₺ or any bill of your country’s currency. This game helps little children to differentiate the banknotes and understand their values.
Find The Bill
This game targets to help children recognise the different bills and remember them. Print or draw every bill of your currency 2 times. Put them on the floor or a desk; all shuffled and face down. The child chooses one among the cards on the floor and then has to find the same by picking one after another. If they choose the wrong one, tell them simply to put them back in their place face down again. As they keep playing, they remember which one is where and successfully match them together.
Ages Between 6 – 10
Play Grocery Store Together
There are many different learning styles for kids. One of them is learning through pretend play! Help your children set up their own grocery store with their toys, such as watermelon, tomato, milk, bread, juice, etc. Then give each of them a price – it can be the exact prices on the market. Then act like a customer, choose what you want to buy and let them calculate the total cost of your items. Pay your child with your toy money and let them calculate how much change they should give you back themselves. This game helps them both to calculate and to engage in finance.
Engage Them in Your Real-Life Shopping
Children take up many things from their parents, including their spending habits. So try engaging them in your shopping, whether groceries or clothes shopping. It is also essential to talk to your kids about what you need to buy, what you can give up and what you buy as a luxury. This way, they can see how you manage your shopping: how you prioritise or give up some things.
Teach your children good money habits with Twin app
Twin Store in the Twin app focuses on helping children develop behaviors that build a foundation for good time and money management. They can earn coins as they complete quests and adventures found within our app. Then, they can choose for themselves how they want to spend their coins. They can even buy vouchers (for up to 75% discounts) for hands-on, award-winning Twin Kits with their coins.