The seven WINGS activity types: what children do in each one

What kinds of activities support a child’s development, and how can working parents fit them into family life? Children need more than one kind of practice. They need opportunities to move, think, remember, talk, investigate, make decisions and take part in real family projects. WINGS organises these experiences into seven activity types.

The short answer: which activities support child development?

Learning activities for kids at home can include movement, logical and critical thinking, new knowledge, meaningful conversation, shared reading and hands-on family projects. WINGS brings these areas together in seven activity types that encourage children to observe, remember, explain, choose and act.

Parents do not have to search for new ideas or build a daily lesson plan. WINGS provides a small selection of ready-to-use activities from different groups. A family can do an activity, save it for tomorrow or swap it for another one. If a child wants to keep going, parents can request additional activities with one tap.

What kinds of activities support child development?

Child development is not limited to remembering information or completing academic exercises. In everyday life, children need to understand situations, recall relevant experiences, find possible solutions, explain their choices, work with other people and take responsibility for a manageable part of a task.

Different activities give children different ways to practise. In one activity, a child moves while following a rule. In another, they compare possibilities or predict what might happen. They may investigate something they have noticed, talk about an emotion or help organise a family project.

The seven WINGS activity types make room for these different experiences without creating a rigid schedule or another heavy programme for the family to manage.

What do the seven WINGS activity types support?

Activity type	What the child does	Experience the child gains
Movement and coordination	Follows a movement sequence, balances and responds to a signal	Coordinates the body, remembers a rule and shifts attention
Logic and thinking	Compares, finds connections, generates ideas and explains solutions	Practises reasoning, memory, attention and flexible thinking
Conversation starters	Shares an opinion, listens and considers another point of view	Builds language, reasoning, empathy and perspective-taking
Discovering new things	Observes, learns and connects new information with previous experience	Expands knowledge and learns to notice patterns
Question of the day	Reflects on events, feelings, wishes and plans	Develops self-awareness and feels heard by the parent
Books and videos	Follows a story and discusses characters, causes and consequences	Interprets stories and practises language and imagination
Weekend family projects	Chooses an idea, plans, makes decisions and takes action	Experiences independence, cooperation and responsibility

1. Movement and coordination

In these activities, a child moves according to a simple rule. They might repeat a sequence, change sides, balance or combine movement with a rhythm, word or signal.

A child might make different movements with the left and right hands, walk along an imaginary line, copy a rhythm or change actions whenever they hear a particular word.

The child is doing more than using physical energy. They need to understand the instruction, remember the sequence, control their movements and try again when something does not work immediately.

These activities usually take only a few minutes. Families can use them in the morning, during a break or whenever a child needs to move and reset.

What the child does:

• coordinates movements;
• remembers a sequence;
• responds when the rule changes;
• shifts attention;
• tries again;
• becomes more aware of what their body can do.

2. Logic and thinking

Logic and thinking activities are a central part of WINGS. Children compare, look for connections, notice patterns, hold several conditions in mind, predict consequences and generate more than one possible solution.

Many of these activities have no single correct answer. A child might choose which object does not belong, knowing that several answers can work if they can explain the reasoning. They might invent different uses for an everyday object or imagine how life would change if clocks disappeared.

The aim is to make the child’s thinking visible. Rather than simply naming an answer, the child explains how they reached it.

Parents do not need to offer a solution immediately. A short pause gives the child time to form a first idea, test it and look for another.

When getting started feels difficult, the activity includes prompts for the parent. These help the child take the first step without completing the thinking for them.

What the child does:

• compares objects and situations;
• notices similarities and differences;
• remembers several conditions;
• explores causes and consequences;
• creates different solutions;
• tests ideas;
• explains a choice.

3. Conversation starters

Meaningful conversations do not always begin on their own. A parent may want to talk about friendship, fairness, courage, mistakes or responsibility but may not know how to open the subject.

WINGS provides a starting point and a simple route into a deeper conversation. The discussion may begin with a familiar situation, then move towards the child’s opinion, reasoning and experience.

This is a conversation rather than a test. Parents can share their own experience, uncertainty or point of view. The child sees that people can exchange ideas without searching for the answer an adult has already chosen.

What the child does:

• forms and expresses an opinion;
• explains their reasoning;
• considers different perspectives;
• listens to another point of view;
• notices feelings and motivations;
• asks questions of their own.

4. Discovering new things

These activities help children explore how the world works. Topics may include nature, technology, history, the human body, jobs, money, safety and everyday processes.

A new fact becomes the beginning of an investigation. The child looks for examples, compares what they see, recalls a similar experience and asks further questions.

A conversation about why leaves change colour can continue during a walk. A topic about bridges can lead to comparing structures around town. With an older child, a discussion about household budgets can become a real choice between several purchases.

What the child does:

• encounters a new fact or principle;
• connects it with existing knowledge;
• recalls related examples;
• observes the world;
• searches for patterns;
• asks follow-up questions;
• uses knowledge in a familiar situation.

5. Question of the day

The question of the day helps a parent hear what is happening in their child’s life: what made them happy, surprised or upset, what they are looking forward to and what matters to them today.

The question might be about a positive moment, an unexpected event, a difficult situation, a new discovery or a plan for tomorrow. It takes little time but shows that the parent is interested in more than school results and completed chores.

Sometimes a child gives a detailed answer. Sometimes they answer with one word. A parent can wait, offer a few possibilities or answer the question first. Over time, these short conversations can become a natural part of family life.

What the child does:

• reflects on the day;
• names feelings and wishes;
• notices what felt important;
• talks about future plans;
• develops a clearer understanding of themselves;
• sees that their answer matters.

6. Books and videos to discuss together

WINGS recommends age-appropriate books and videos and provides questions that parents can use after reading or watching.

The discussion does not become a memory test. Instead of asking only for a character’s name or a sequence of events, a parent might ask: “Why do you think the character did that?”, “What else could they have done?”, “Who changed the most?” or “What would you do in the same situation?”.

A child can sympathise with one character, disagree with another, suggest a different ending or notice something the adult missed.

What the child does:

• follows how a story develops;
• discusses reasons for characters’ actions;
• notices feelings and relationships;
• predicts the consequences of decisions;
• connects the story with personal experience;
• imagines other possible outcomes.

7. Weekend family projects

Some skills need a real task rather than a short conversation. Children benefit from experiences in which they help choose a goal, make a plan, prepare materials, divide responsibilities, make decisions and see the result.

A project might involve preparing a family breakfast, staging a play, carrying out a small investigation, planning a walking route, making something together or organising a celebration.

The child is more than a helper following instructions. They become one of the organisers: suggesting ideas, choosing an approach and taking responsibility for an age-appropriate part of the result.

WINGS provides the materials and main steps in advance. A family can complete the whole project, choose one part or save it for a better weekend.

What the child does:

• helps choose the goal;
• suggests ideas;
• contributes to the plan;
• takes responsibility for one part;
• works within real limits;
• adapts the plan when needed;
• sees the result of shared work.

How does WINGS choose age-appropriate activities?

Age helps set the starting level, the length of the instructions, the language and the amount of independence expected from the child.

The same idea can look very different for a preschooler, a primary-school child and a teenager. A younger child may choose between two possibilities. An older child may create several solutions, compare them and consider the consequences.

Age is only a starting point. Experience, interests, mood and readiness also affect whether an activity is a good fit today.

When an activity feels difficult, a parent can:

• offer the first example;
• give two options to choose from;
• break the activity into smaller steps;
• begin together;
• use the prompt provided in the activity;
• save it for tomorrow.

When an activity feels easy, a parent can:

• ask for another idea;
• add a new condition;
• compare several solutions;
• ask the child to explain the choice;
• give the child more responsibility.

The clearest sign of a suitable activity is meaningful participation: the child is trying, thinking, speaking, choosing or doing.

How many activities should a child do each day?

WINGS does not set a compulsory number of activities for a family to complete.

The app offers several ready-to-use suggestions from different groups. The next day brings a new selection. Topics and ways of participating also change within each activity type.

A family can:

• do one activity;
• choose several;
• complete only part of an activity;
• save it for tomorrow;
• swap it for another one;
• request additional activities with one tap.

The daily selection provides an easy starting point, rather than another list of obligations.

What should you do if your child refuses to take part?

Refusing one activity does not mean that a child has no interest in learning, thinking or spending time with a parent. The topic, difficulty, presentation or timing may simply be wrong for that moment.

Parents can offer an activity from another group. A child may feel more ready to talk after moving, or one short question may work better today than a longer discussion.

If the first step is the problem, the parent can use a prompt, give an example or begin together. The activity can also be saved for tomorrow or swapped for another one.

Interest is easier to maintain when the child has some choice and influence over what happens.

How can busy parents fit activities into family life?

Meaningful time together does not always require a free evening. A short activity can fit into an ordinary part of the day:

• discuss a question on the way home;
• look for patterns during a walk;
• try a coordination challenge during a break;
• explore an interesting fact over dinner;
• reflect on the day before bed;
• plan one part of a family task together.

Most daily WINGS activities require no special preparation. They use conversation, movement, observation, familiar objects and situations that are already part of family life.

Weekend projects may need more time or materials. When they do, WINGS provides the list and steps in advance.

Why WINGS activities do not feel like another lesson

WINGS is a tool for the parent. The screen provides an idea, useful questions and prompts, while the activity itself happens between the parent and child.

Parents do not need to know every answer or deliver a perfect lesson. Their role is to create an opportunity for conversation or action and leave room for the child’s own first step.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of activities support a child’s development?

Children benefit from varied experiences: movement, logic and thinking challenges, observation, conversation, books and hands-on family projects. Different activities give children different ways to think, communicate and act.

How much time should parents spend doing activities with their child?

There is no single required number of minutes. A family might do one short activity on a busy day, several activities at another time and a longer project at the weekend. The quality of the shared attention matters more than reaching a target on a timer.

How do you choose developmentally appropriate activities?

Age provides a useful starting point for language, difficulty and independence. Parents can then consider the child’s experience, interests, mood and readiness. An activity can be simplified, extended, saved for tomorrow or swapped for another one.

What should you do if your child refuses to take part?

Offer a different activity, make the first step smaller or return to the idea tomorrow. A child who rejects one suggestion may still be ready to move, talk, investigate or help with something real.

How can parents build logical and critical thinking at home?

Ask children to compare, find patterns, predict what might happen, create several solutions and explain their choices. Questions such as “What is similar here?”, “What else could work?” and “Why did you choose that?” make the reasoning more important than guessing an expected answer.

What are some easy no-prep activities for kids at home?

Families can talk about the day, invent new uses for familiar objects, look for patterns around the home, follow a simple movement rule or plan a small family task together. These activities use conversation and everyday surroundings rather than printed worksheets or special equipment.

The seven WINGS activity types at a glance

The seven activity types give children different ways to take part: moving, thinking, remembering, discovering, discussing, planning and doing.

Parents receive a ready-made selection and choose the moment and pace that fit their family. An activity can be done today, saved for tomorrow or swapped for another one. When a child wants more, WINGS can provide additional suggestions.

Sources

• National Association for the Education of Young Children. Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Core Considerations.
• Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children. Principles of Child Development and Learning and Implications That Inform Practice.

Last updated: October 2026.