Kidsby CodingMarble

Week 2: My family and home मेरा परिवार और घर

Family words and home words are the most-used words in any language, and "who is in my family" is a child's first map of belonging. This week also plants the idea that a home runs because everyone helps.

For grown-ups बड़ों के लिए

Ten words to use this week

mother father sister brother grandmother grandfather door kitchen help share

Use them in your home language first. A word heard twenty times in real moments — at the sink, on the road, at dinner — sticks far better than a word drilled twenty times in a row. You do not need to teach; you only need to talk.

Three things to say

  • "Who is Nani's daughter?" — relationship puzzles are hard and fascinating at four and five.
  • "Can you carry the spoons to the table?" A real job, not a pretend one.
  • "Thank you, that helped me." Say it the way you would to an adult.

This week on the site

Golu's Day picks from these automatically, one short session a day. If you would rather choose yourself, here is everything for the week.

Picture books (7)

Songs to sing (5)

Games (7)

Off the screen (3)

The part that matters most. One of these in the week is plenty.

The same theme at different ages

A two-year-old is collecting names: point, say the word, wait, and celebrate any attempt to say it back. A three- to four-year-old is ready to sort and compare — which is bigger, which go together, which one does not belong. A five- to six-year-old wants reasons: ask "why do you think…?" and "what would happen if…?", and let them explain it to a younger child or a grandparent. If you have two children at different ages, the older one teaching the younger is the best lesson either will get this week.

A simple rhythm for the week

You do not need a timetable, but a loose shape helps on tired days. Here is one that fits around school and work; move anything anywhere.

  • Day 1 — open the theme. Read My family together, twice. The second reading is where the words go in.
  • Day 2 and 3 — play. Let Golu's Day choose, or pick a game from the list above. Fifteen minutes, then stop while it is still fun.
  • Day 4 — sing and move. Learn My Family well enough to sing it without the screen — in the bath, on the stairs, in the car.
  • Day 5 — hands. Try a frame for my family. Expect mess; mess is the lesson working.
  • Weekend — the real world. Try a walk through old family photos, naming everyone, then a video call to one of them. This is the day the week's words stop being screen words.
  • Last day — tell it back. Ask your child to tell someone what they did this week. Retelling is how short-term memory becomes long-term, and it costs nothing.

Missed three days? Nothing is lost. The themes come round again, and a relaxed week with two good conversations beats a full one done through gritted teeth.

What to notice

Does your child name the people in family photos? Can they follow a two-step instruction ("get your shoes and bring them here")? Two steps by three years old is typical; three steps by five.

These are things to notice, not things to test. Children develop in bursts and at very different speeds, and a skill that is missing this month often appears overnight the next. If a worry stays with you for a few months, that is reason enough to mention it to your child's doctor or teacher.

If this week is hard

Families come in every shape. If yours has changed recently — a new baby, a move, a loss — expect more clinginess this week, and go gently with the family-tree activities.

The other weeks

This is week 2 of twelve in the weekly plan for parents. The weeks run in a loop and each age band meets different games inside the same theme, so the second time round — three months later — your child is doing harder things with familiar words. Next week: Animals.

Now do it for real

When the screen goes off, do something with your hands. Try 🌈 Find a rainbow indoors — an easy science experiment for ages 3-6, with every step read aloud in your language. You will need an old cd or a glass of water, sunshine and a white wall; nothing that needs a trip to a shop.

There are 56 more on the things to do at home page, and free printable worksheets if you would rather have something on paper. Ten minutes on a screen and twenty minutes off it is a good shape for a day at this age.

Week 2: My family and home: questions parents ask

What should my child learn about my family and home?
Does your child name the people in family photos? Can they follow a two-step instruction ("get your shoes and bring them here")? Two steps by three years old is typical; three steps by five.
How much time should we spend each day?
About fifteen minutes on the screen with Golu's Day, and as much real-world talk and play as your day allows. For children aged 2 to 5 the WHO suggests no more than an hour of screen time a day, with a grown-up alongside.
Do we have to follow the weeks in order?
No. The order is a suggestion. If your child is mad about vehicles this month, start there; interest is the best teacher there is.