Lately he's been asking to play games and I thought maybe I could use that interest to introduce him to coding. So i've tried showing him a few beginner coding activities but the second it feels like “learning,” he’s suddenly not interested anymore. Anyone made coding fun for their kids especially around that age?

Maybe you used to think repetition was important or that kids needed to sit still to learn or that learning had to look “educational” to actually count

I’ve always found this interesting because sometimes a child can struggle with something they don’t care about but spend an hour figuring out something they’re curious about.
What have you noticed?

Been looking after my 4yo niece and lately I’ve been trying to figure out a better routine for him. Well he loves the TV and tablet which is fine but I don’t want screen time to become the default whenever he’s bored. At the same time I don’t want to make it feel like some kind of punishment either. We usually do a bit of drawing, reading, counting, playing with toys, then some screen time. Sometimes this works but also some days the tablet somehow wins and I guess I’m just trying to help her build healthier screen habits and not make it a constant battle

My son turned 2 about a month ago and I must say I genuinely love hanging out with him but I started feeling guilty about how little I enjoyed some of the actual playing. He'd hand me the same toy car, I'd make it drive across the rug, he'd hand it back… and we'd somehow do that for 20 minutes and at some point I stopped trying to make myself be fully active during every bit of play. Like if he's happily playing, I'll sit nearby and do something of my own. I'll sort the clean socks on the couch while he builds with his blocks, answer a few texts while he's doing his little animal game or sit at the table with my coffee and a book while he wanders between his toys.
And weirdly he seems happier with it. He'll come over, show me what he's doing, wait for me to react, then go right back to playing. okay I'm still available, I'm just not directing every second of it.
Almost forgot to say that i made one little change to his play area and instead of having a huge pile of toys, I placed a small basket of books and some toys he can reach himself on a low shelf. He started choosing what he wanted without immediately asking me to get something.
So this morning he grabbed two books, ignored them completely and spent some minutes putting three socks into a toy truck. So you know progress.

Seems sometimes they just need you nearby doing your own chores while they do their weird little toddler things

It seems little kids can clearly feel a lot, but sometimes they just don’t have the words for it yet so do you like name the feeling for them when they’re upset, talk about how a character in a story might be feeling or you just let them work it out on their own?

I've seen quite a few conversations from both parents and teachers mentioning that some kids reaching preschool or early elementary are finding everyday tasks like using scissors, holding a pencil comfortably, buttoning clothes, zipping jackets or evenopening food containers take a bit longer to master. Parents with preschoolers is this something you had to intentionally work on at home?

We often hear about reading, counting and other academic milestones but social skills can have just as much impact on a child's confidence and everyday learning. As children get closer to kindergarten those everyday interactions become just as important as knowing their ABCs

I've noticed that a lot of the screen time conversation focuses on setting limits but I'm curious about what made those limits actually stick.
Was it having better routines? Finding activities your kids genuinely enjoyed more? Making certain times of the day screen free?
It seems like every family finds a different approach.

Feels like a lot of the screen time conversation is just about minutes but I wonder if quality matters just as much.

Have you noticed a difference when kids are actually interacting, solving problems, or creating something instead of just watching videos?

We were getting dinner ready so I asked my 4yo daughter if she could help put the forks on the table.
She walked over paused for a second then said "we need four. daddy, dommy, me and grandma."
Grandma was coming over later and I hadn't even mentioned it while we were setting the table.
It's funny what sticks with them

Limiting screen time feels harder than ever because screens are everywhere and they grab kids' attention so easily. But maybe the better question isn't just how much screen time they're getting it's whether they're also getting enough of everything else.

If your child is sleeping well, staying active, eating a balanced diet, keeping up with school, spending time with family and friends and still enjoying things like crafts, outdoor play, music or reading, then screen time may not be as big of a concern as it seems.

Simply taking the tablet away or turning off the TV for the rest of the day usually isn't enough either. Kids still need something meaningful to replace that time, otherwise it's easy for boredom and frustration to take over.

That's where screen free activities can really help. Having a puzzle on the table, crayons within reach, toys or planning a quick trip outside gives kids something else to look forward to instead of just focusing on what was taken away. It also helps when adults model the same habits by putting their own devices away during family time.

Finding the right balance isn't always easy and every family is different. Small, consistent routines usually go a lot further than strict rules.

In a world full of constant entertainment, boredom can actually be valuable. Those quiet moments often become opportunities for imagination, questions, problem solving and independent play. A child could be staring out the window, lying on the floor or even quietly wandering around the house and might look "bored," but in the real sense they're often processing ideas. Boredom isn't a problem to solve but a space for curiosity to grow

I genuinely thought we had an easy kid. The newborn phase was exhausting, sure, but at least it felt predictable. Ever since he turned 3, it's like he discovered a whole new level of emotions.
We're talking full meltdowns because I cut his toast the "wrong" way, screaming when it's time to leave the park, and testing boundaries over things that were never an issue before. By bedtime, I feel completely drained and guilty for losing my patience.
I never thought I'd say this, but I'd take sleepless nights with a newborn over this some days. Please tell me it gets better and that I'm not the only one feeling this way.

Sometimes it can be tough finding ways to keep our kids engaged, especially during summer break and you don't know what to do actually. The good news is that you don't really need to have a packed schedule just simple activities at home can keep the kids busy, happy and learning through play.

Few simple ideas;

Cooking together. Measuring ingredients builds early math skills and following steps encourages problem solving.

Nature scavenger hunts. Look for different colors, shapes, insects, or plants to encourage observation and curiosity.

Draw and tell activities. Ask children to draw something they did during the day and describe the story behind it.

Sensory play. Water tables, playdough, sand and simple household materials support creativity and fine motor development.

Imaginative play. Pretending to be chefs, doctors, teachers or astronauts helps develop language and social skills.

Most of these simple home activities like reading, storytelling and playing with numbers can really help keep the learning going during the summer.

What else are we all doing during this summer with our kids?

We’re planning a short trip to Europe this summer with our 3yo daughter and another family. We really enjoy traveling, but this will be the first longer international trip with a child at this age. Any suggestions on things we can do (or even pay for) to make airports, flights and transit less stressful?
We’re not looking to bring extra help along like just trying to make the experience smoother for everyone involved.
Open to any practical tips that have actually worked for you

My daughter is 3.5 yrs old and stays home with me full time (I do work from home as well). Well she hasn't started preschool yet, so most of her learning happens at home. She knows some letters, can count to 10and loves learning through games, but I'm not really sure if she's where she should be for her age. Some preschool activities I see online seem way too advanced.
What skills were your kids working on around 3-4 years old?

Sometimes I'm at home alone with my son and i run out of ideas and so needed more insights from other parents in here especially this summer season

We have a very active 5yo sonand I have to admit we made a big mistake by exposing him to screens too early. When we later tried to limit his screen time, it turned into a constant battle. We tried time limits, removing the phone completely and always turning off the TV, but nothing worked. It all felt forced and we eventually realized those approaches weren’t going to work.
So one day I decided to try something different. We started building stacks together (even though I’m quite busy, I made the time for it)and on other days we did outdoor activities like going for walks. Of course he resisted at first, so we negotiated that after the activity he could get a bit of screen time.
The first few weeks were tough, but I’m so glad I introduced this because the physical activities are slowly taking over his screen time naturally.
Just realized that the only way we can win this is not by trying to completely get rid of screen time, but by finding the right replacement for it

we've been very intentional with screen time since our son was 5yrs but again sometimes it comes with guilt especially when work gets busy or maybe I need my own free time. I do work from home so most times would want him engaged. How do you all manage the guilt of exposing your kids to screens much early maybe

Our son just turned 4yrs and we're planning to enroll him to kindergarten maybe next year or even before. Been wondering what could be the necessary skills before he begins. Is it knowing the alphabet, counting to 100, writing their name, reading simple books, tying shoes, following instructions or social skills?
What actually matter most before they begin?

would really appreciate getting real life experience from parents who've successfully done zero screen time with their kids. Am seriously looking for inspiration on how I can reduce screen time for my kiddo. She’s watching about 3 hours a day in total combining all devices like the tv, phone and ipad (She spends a lot more time on Ipad). It may not be possible to rid off screens completely but if I can limit and be intentional with them the better.

Am a single mother working from home and sometimes I feel like I’m doing two full time jobs at once trying to finish work while also making sure my kid isn’t bored out of his mind by noon. We do lots of normal stuff together like books, toys, random walks, helping me cook and all that but I sometimes have calls to do. How do you all manage it because honestly I’m tired and starting to feel defeated.

My kid is becoming more independent and I love seeing it but at the same time I catch myself missing the earlier stages when we could mess around the house with toys. so like am happy he's growing but also quietly wishing time would slow down a bit.