How WINGS chooses activities: the principles behind our system

A parent finds a spare moment: seven minutes on the way home, a wait at the doctor’s office or a quiet stretch after dinner. There is time to talk or do something together, but no time to gather supplies, read a long lesson plan and work out whether an activity really suits the child’s age.

WINGS does that preparation first. So where do our ideas come from, how do we adapt activities for ages 2–14, and what does a prompt have to go through before a family sees it?

The short answer: how does WINGS choose activities for children?

We choose WINGS activities using six principles: a meaningful purpose, an active role for the child, developmental fit, a realistic place in family life, room to adapt and a full editorial review. Ideas come from books, professional resources, research and practical experience, then become self-contained prompts that families can simplify, extend, pause or revisit.

The WINGS philosophy: six books and one shared idea

Six books form the methodological foundation of WINGS. Together, they shape our philosophy of growth, independence, relationships and small repeated actions. The practical work comes next: we source and review the actual exercises, age adjustments, wording and safety requirements separately.

Author and book	The direction it gives WINGS
Carol Dweck, Mindset	A growth mindset: effort, strategy and the chance to try another way.
Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence	Emotional awareness, empathy, self-regulation and attentive conversation.
Julie Lythcott-Haims, How to Raise an Adult	Independence and meaningful responsibility that fits the child.
Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People	Choice, collaboration, perspective-taking and purposeful action.
Norman Doidge, The Brain That Changes Itself	Change through action, practice and repetition.
James Clear, Atomic Habits	Small repeated steps that are easy to begin and fit into family life.

One idea connects them: children develop through their own actions and through relationships with the people around them. The screen provides the adult with a starting point. The meaningful part happens in conversation, movement, observation, reading or a shared project. Each completed activity is a step forward – sometimes immediately visible, sometimes very small, but taken by the child with an attentive adult nearby.

The books give WINGS its direction. Professional guidance, original research and specialist sources inform the facts, developmental level and safety of each activity.

What professional guidance tells us about choosing activities

Age is one part of a developmentally appropriate activity. The National Association for the Education of Young Children asks educators to consider three things together: general patterns of child development, the individuality of a particular child and the child’s family, social and cultural context. Children of the same age can differ in experience, interests, strengths, motivation and ways of approaching something new.

A strong activity gives the child a meaningful role. NAEYC guidance combines self-directed play, guided play and direct teaching. Children have choices and influence over what happens, while adults use a question, demonstration or prompt to support the next step.

The challenge needs to be achievable today. The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University recommends adjusting a challenge to a child’s current capabilities. Something too familiar can lose its pull; something that feels impossible can make it hard to begin. A useful activity therefore needs more than an age label. It needs ways to turn the challenge up or down in response to the child.

Support should lead back to independence. The Education Endowment Foundation’s guidance for school learning recommends modelling a thinking process, asking questions and providing temporary scaffolds, then reducing support as the learner gains control of the strategy. WINGS applies the same practical sequence: help the child find the first step, then hand the turn back.

Play, choice and connection give simple materials their value. The American Academy of Pediatrics describes play as active, engaging and connected with joyful discovery and relationships. An ordinary household object, a child’s own idea and an adult’s attentive response can create a richer experience than elaborate equipment on its own.

How a WINGS activity is made

Movement games, open-ended problems, conversation prompts, new knowledge, daily questions, story recommendations and weekend projects each need a different structure. The route from an initial idea to an approved activity follows the same core stages.

1. We define what the child will actually do

We begin with a concrete action. “Develops thinking” is too broad to guide a useful activity. A child might compare several options, explain a choice, remember a rule, look for a cause, retrieve a sequence or propose another solution. Naming that action gives each prompt a clear immediate purpose.

2. We draw on several kinds of sources

The WINGS source library includes books, professional websites, guidance from educators and psychologists, activity catalogues, research and parents’ observations. Each source contributes something different. Family experience reveals recognisable situations. Educational practice helps shape the sequence. Professional guidance informs age and safety decisions. Research helps us word factual claims precisely.

We also compare a new idea with the existing WINGS library. A change of character or prop does not make an activity meaningfully new. The child needs a different question, action, strategy or experience.

3. We turn the idea into an open-ended prompt

In an open-ended activity, the child offers an answer instead of trying to guess the author’s. A reasoning prompt needs several possible routes. Facts and safety instructions remain clear and precise. Choice belongs where a child can suggest, explain, compare and decide.

Instead of asking for “the correct use for this box”, a prompt might say: “What could this box become? Think of three possibilities, then choose one you would like to try.” The adult listens to the reasoning rather than comparing it with a hidden answer key.

4. We build the starting version for an age group

Age helps us choose a useful starting point and leave room to grow. WINGS uses five groups: ages 2–3, 4–5, 6–8, 9–11 and 12–14. Younger children receive shorter wording and more concrete actions involving objects, movement or pretend play. Older children meet arguments, source comparison, dilemmas, planning and reflection on their own decisions.

Age guides the language, length, physical and cognitive load, safety and expected degree of independence. The CDC presents developmental milestones as tools for observation and conversation between families and professionals. WINGS uses age in that spirit, then provides adaptations for the child in front of the parent.

The right version can change from one day to the next. Familiarity with the subject, tiredness, mood, language, interest and previous experience all affect the level that works in the moment.

5. We test whether the activity fits real family life

A daily activity needs to fit into an ordinary day. A prompt for a two-year-old may take about a minute. An older child or teenager may spend several minutes explaining an idea or comparing options. These are editorial ranges for the WINGS format, designed to make starting manageable.

Most daily activities can begin at home, in the car, outdoors or on the school run without special preparation. If an object is needed, it is usually something already nearby. A weekend project may need ingredients or craft supplies, so the card provides a complete list, a realistic time estimate and a clear sequence.

Each card is self-contained. It includes a way to begin, something for the child to do, a possible extension and guidance for the adult. A family can complete the whole activity, stop after one meaningful exchange or return to it later.

6. We include an easier route and a deeper route

Every activity needs room to adapt in both directions. Making a task easier can mean removing one condition, offering two concrete options, giving a single example, doing the first step together or replacing an abstract question with something the child can see.

To extend an activity, we change the quality of the thinking: ask for a second reason, look for an exception, compare strategies, test an idea or explain it to a younger child.

Mood and energy also guide the decision. A tired or frustrated child can pause, skip or return another day. Tomorrow brings another opportunity for a small step.

7. We review the draft before publication

An activity passes through several checks between the first idea and publication. Reviewers look at clarity, open-endedness, developmental fit, realistic timing, accessible materials, safety, stereotypes and overlap with activities already in the library.

Editors and specialists with practical experience of working with children then review the content, tone and feasibility. Their feedback returns to the draft. Automated checks add another layer by finding missing sections, inconsistent numbers, internal notes and structural errors.

The illustration and each native-language version are reviewed separately. Families receive the card after the full approval route is complete.

How seven activity types create breadth

The seven types describe different ways for a child to participate; the topics within them widen the child’s view of the world. Movement activities vary coordination, balance, rhythm and hand movements. Logic activities use classification, cause and effect, multiple possibilities and reasoned choice. Conversation topics cover emotions, relationships, ethics, nature, technology and ordinary life.

New-knowledge activities move across people, society, science, safety, money, health and practical life. The daily question helps a child notice feelings and revisit experience. Books and films open up stories and perspectives. Weekend activities bring in art, cooking, exploration, planning, helping others and family projects.

We check the underlying action as well as the title. Two prompts with different characters but the same mechanism are still duplicates. A new card needs to offer a genuinely different question, process, decision or experience.

What every WINGS activity keeps in view

• The philosophy provides direction. Six books keep independence, relationships, meaningful effort and regular small steps at the centre.
• The age group provides a starting version. The child’s response helps the family find the right level for today.
• The short format makes connection and practice easier to begin. It can attach to an existing moment and return in a steady rhythm.
• Openness and accuracy each have a place. Facts and safety are clear; reasoning gives the child room to build and explain a position.
• The child’s state informs the activity. The timing, topic and challenge can change as the interaction unfolds.
• Parents can use the card flexibly. They may take one question, change the example, stop early or return later.

What to say when you want the child to lead

Instead of	Try
“This is meant for your age”	“Let’s see whether this feels right today”
“I’ll show you the correct answer”	“Where would you like to begin?”
“That’s too easy – do five more”	“How could we change the rule to make it interesting?”
“You still don’t understand”	“Which part should we make smaller?”
“We have to finish because we started”	“Shall we continue, save it for tomorrow or stop here?”
“No, think of something sensible”	“Tell me how you arrived at that idea”

The sequence is simple: offer, wait for the first step, give the smallest useful amount of help and hand the turn back.

How to tell if an activity is right for your child

The child understands what to do first. They may not know the answer, but after a short explanation they can picture a first move. If the instruction itself needs a long explanation, simplify it.

The activity contains an achievable stretch. An instant answer may be a cue to add a condition. Confusion, frustration or constant adult direction may be a cue to reduce the load.

The child contributes something of their own. They choose an option, explain an idea, perform the movement, notice a pattern or own part of the decision. The child’s contribution is the centre of the card.

The activity can end at a natural point. A family does not have to use every extension. One thoughtful answer or shared observation can form a complete moment.

The closing response names an action. “You tested two possibilities”, “You changed your plan after it failed” or “I had not considered that explanation” shows the child what they actually did.

Frequently asked questions about choosing activities for children

How do I choose developmentally appropriate activities for my child? Use age as a starting point, then watch the child’s interest, understanding and need for help. A good activity stretches something familiar while still leaving the child with a meaningful first step of their own.

How long should a learning activity last? There is no single useful length for every child and purpose. A conversation may take a few minutes, while a family project may fill part of a weekend. Follow the purpose, the child’s state and the quality of participation rather than keeping the activity going to reach a preset time.

What should I do when my child does not want to participate? Check the timing, challenge and way the activity was introduced. Offer a shorter version or a real choice, or save the prompt for another day. A different moment may create a very different response.

Do WINGS activities need special materials? Most daily activities use conversation, movement and ordinary objects. When a weekend project needs ingredients or supplies, the card lists them in advance and explains the preparation.

How can I tell whether an activity is too easy or too difficult? If the answer is automatic and interest disappears, add a new condition, reason or test. If the child cannot find a first step and the adult has to carry the whole activity, reduce the conditions, offer one example or begin together.

Who reviews WINGS activities before they are published? Drafts go through structural checks, editorial review and content review by specialists with practical experience of working with children. Developmental fit, safety, materials, illustrations and native-language versions are reviewed as separate parts of the publication route.

How WINGS helps

WINGS shortens the distance between “I want to do something meaningful together” and a clear first step. A parent opens a prepared, age-based card with an instruction and ways to support the child.

The activity can fit the school run, a wait, time at home or a walk. Families can use the shortest part, swap in a familiar example, extend the challenge, pause or return later.

The parent guidance is designed to open space for the child’s thinking. It helps the adult wait, notice the child’s approach and offer enough support for the next independent move.

WINGS prepares the starting point, the parent brings knowledge of this particular child, and the child brings the idea, action or answer. One or two activities can become today’s step forward – small enough to begin and meaningful enough to build on tomorrow.

Sources

Professional guidance

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (2020). Core Considerations to Inform Decision Making.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (2020). Teaching to Enhance Each Child’s Development and Learning.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (2020). Planning and Implementing an Engaging Curriculum to Achieve Meaningful Goals.
• Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2019). How to Motivate Children: Science-Based Approaches for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers.
• Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2014). Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence.
• Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Serve and Return.
• Education Endowment Foundation (2025). Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning, second edition.
• Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., et al. (2018; reaffirmed by the AAP in 2025). “The Power of Play”. Pediatrics, 142(3), e20182058.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2026). Key Points about CDC’s Developmental Milestone Checklists.

The WINGS methodological foundation

• Carol Dweck, Mindset.
• Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence.
• Julie Lythcott-Haims, How to Raise an Adult.
• Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
• Norman Doidge, The Brain That Changes Itself.
• James Clear, Atomic Habits.

Last updated: September 2026.