In a world where messaging and voice‑to‑text are becoming the norm, handwriting can seem outdated; but it’s not, especially for children. Beyond sending a message or jotting down an idea, handwriting supports parts of child development that other modes of written expression simply can’t replace. Even in a digital world, it’s still one of the most efficient ways to build the cognitive, motor, and language systems kids rely on for learning.
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Between ages 3 and 5, children rapidly grow as curious problem-solvers, expressive communicators, and imaginative players. They build friendships, develop empathy, and gain physical independence. This all lays a strong foundation for school readiness and future learning.
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October is behind us, which means it’s officially wish list season. Sorting through the avalanche of toys and games online and in catalogs can feel more than a little overwhelming. I’ll be honest: narrowing down our favorites wasn’t easy. So yes, our list is on the larger side this year. But in our defense, every pick earned its spot.
To make the Child(ish) Advice list, we researched:
This year, we’ve grouped our favorites by target age and by category. First up, infants and toddlers.
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We are constantly fascinated by the brain and how it shapes behavior. Our chats about what is going on in our kids’ heads led to our last posts about the boy, girl, and even ADHD brain. So naturally as moms to twins, we turned our attention to twin neurobiology.
Twin brains seem to operate in a world of their own. It’s almost like one brain expressed through two distinct personalities. For example, my daughter H leans into logic and reasoning, while K brings emotional depth and creativity. Together as identical twins, they feel like complementary halves of a shared whole. My husband and I have also seen moments that defy explanation: one twin tearing up when the other gets hurt, or both making the same gesture at the exact same time. It’s weird, but it’s pretty cool.
Patti having fraternal twins, their brains are less complementary but more like synergistic sound boards. As they learn, they take cues from each other, speeding up their understanding and sometimes their competitiveness.
It naturally leads to the question: Are twin brains wired differently than singleton ones?
In some ways, yes. In others, not quite.
While working at a pediatric clinic, seasoned therapists often noted that boys responded best to clear expectations and consistent consequences, while girls benefited more from patience, emotional connection, and time to process instructions and feelings.
When I was just starting out, I assumed all kids processed things the same and saw girls’ need for patience as coddling. For context, I was raised in an Asian household where emotions were seen more as a weakness than an asset. So, if you had to cry, go outside.
With time however, I realized I was wrong. It wasn’t that they didn’t understand the task; it was that they wanted to get it right so badly. Sometimes they’d miss the mark on the first try, or they’d misread my tone and think I was upset with them. Other times, they were simply grappling with the fact that there was no room to negotiate the task or the consequence. What they needed wasn’t leniency—it was time, clarity, and emotional safety. Check out this IG video.
We know that boy and girl brains are different, but what are the actual characteristics a girl brain and makes it’s learning processes distinct from its male counterpart?
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