How to Praise a Child's Drawing: What to Say Instead of "Good Job"
What to say about a child's drawing besides "good job": research on rewards and praise, and simple phrases about what you see and how it was made.
StudyX
StudyX Devlog: How-To
StudyX Devlog articles tagged "How-To".
How to Read a CEFR Comparison Table: IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge and National Exams
CEFR tables put IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge and national exams side by side, but each column means something different. How to read them, per official sources.
What Is Aozora Bunko? Copyright Rules and How Japanese Learners Can Use It
Aozora Bunko is a free library of Japanese books typed in by volunteers. How Japanese copyright shapes it, and how learners can find and read a book there.
What Is Project Gutenberg? Finding Free Books and Checking Copyright
Project Gutenberg is a free library of books out of copyright in the US. How to search it, which file to get, and why US public domain is not worldwide.
Piano Finger Numbers: How to Teach Them to a Child
The small numbers 1 to 5 by the notes are finger numbers: thumb is 1, little finger is 5, in both hands. What they mean and how to teach them to a child.
Go Rules for Beginners: How to Capture Stones and How the Winner Is Decided
The minimum rules of go in order: taking turns, capturing, illegal points, ko, how the game ends and how to count, with Japanese and Chinese scoring.
Stalemate Explained: How It Differs from Checkmate and What to Watch in the Endgame
What stalemate is, how it differs from checkmate, the queen and pawn endings that turn a win into a draw, and why the losing side aims for it.
Does Tsume Shogi Make You Stronger? Why It Works and How to Keep It Up
Where tsume shogi helps in real games (mating shapes, endgame reading, sacrifices, king safety), what it cannot teach, and how to keep it up daily.
Sudoku Rules: What First-Timers Need to Know
The one rule of sudoku: 1 to 9 once in every row, column and box. Common mix-ups, names for parts of the grid, where it came from, and a first puzzle.
Why Do You Flip the Fraction When Dividing?
Why dividing by a fraction means multiplying by its reciprocal, shown three ways: counting how many fit, making the divisor 1, and the amount for one.
How to Teach Carrying and Borrowing (Regrouping)
Carrying and borrowing rest on one idea: ten as a single unit. Making ten, the Japanese cherry diagram, two ways to subtract, and where kids get stuck.
StudyX Japanese Letters TracerHow-To
What Order to Teach Hiragana In: Start with the Easiest to Write
Which hiragana to write first, for children or beginners: the 46 basic characters grouped by stroke count and line shape, ordered by ease of writing.
How to Stop Kids Making In-App Purchases on an iPad: Using Ask to Buy
How to stop a child buying apps and in-app purchases on an iPad, following Apple's support pages: Ask to Buy, blocking in-app purchases, and refunds.
How to Teach Pencil Grip: The Order That Works for Young Children
Pencil grip develops in stages, from a fist grasp to a three-finger grip. Typical ages, what research says about grip variations, and an order to teach it.
How to Improve Your Memory as an Adult: Everyday Practice
Can't remember things lately? What research shows about retrieval practice, spaced review, the method of loci, sleep and exercise, and how to use them.
Stages of Drawing in Young Children: From Scribbles to Pictures
When do scribbles become circles, tadpole people and pictures? The stages of early drawing, based on Lowenfeld and Kellogg, and how adults can help.
Cambridge English Exams vs IELTS and TOEFL: How the Levels Line Up
What Cambridge English Qualifications are, how they differ from IELTS and TOEFL iBT in scoring, format and validity, and how their levels compare.
How to Start Extensive Reading in Japanese, Level by Level
A guide to extensive reading in Japanese: when to skip the dictionary, what to read at each level, how much to read, and how it differs from English.
How to Do Extensive Reading in English: Dictionaries, Difficulty and How Much to Read
Should you use a dictionary, how hard should a book be, when should you quit it, and how much should you read a day? A plain guide to extensive reading.
What Age Should a Child Start Piano?
When should a child start piano? Starting ages at music schools, what research on early training shows, what matters more than age, and starting later.
Shogi, Go and Chess: The Differences, and Which One to Learn First
How shogi, go and chess differ in pieces, captures, how you win and whether draws happen, and which of the three a first-time player might start with.
Chess Piece Values and How to Think About Trades
What chess piece values (pawn 1, knight and bishop 3, rook 5, queen 9) mean, how to count a trade, when the numbers mislead, and why puzzles sacrifice.
Basic Tsume Shogi Tesuji: From Gold on the Head to the Focal-Point Sacrifice
For players who solve mate in 3 by trial and error: gold on the head, and sacrifices that pull the king down, move a defender or hit a focal point.
How Many Countries Are There in the World? Why 196 and 193 Are Both Right
The UN has 193 members, Japan counts 196 countries and many sites say 195. Why they differ, where Taiwan, Kosovo and Palestine fit, and what a country is.
How to Solve Sudoku: The First Techniques Beginners Should Learn
You know the rules but not where to start. Hidden singles, naked singles, when to begin pencil marks, then pointing and naked pairs, in learning order.
What Is Computational Thinking, and What Can Puzzles Teach?
What computational thinking means, read from Jeannette Wing's 2006 essay and Japan's school guide, and a look at what puzzles can and cannot teach.
How to Learn Times Tables: Say Them, Write Them, Use Them
Times tables stick in three stages: say them aloud, write them by hand, then use them out of order. Why this order works and where children get stuck.
StudyX Smartpaper LettersHow-To
Neater Japanese Handwriting in 10 Minutes a Day: What Changes First
For adult learners writing kana and kanji by hand: what 10 minutes of daily practice changes first, where to start, and how to see your progress.
StudyX Japanese Letters TableHow-To
Hepburn vs Kunrei Romaji: Why Japanese Is Spelled Two Ways
Why romaji is spelled shi or si, tsu or tu: Hepburn vs Kunrei, Japan's new romanization rules of December 2025, and spellings on passports and signs.
StudyX Japanese Letters TracerHow-To
Hiragana Stroke Order: The Characters Learners Most Often Get Wrong
The hiragana learners most often write in the wrong stroke order, such as se, mo, ya, fu and wo, with the correct order, the reason, and how much to fix.
How to Set Up Screen Time on an iPad for Your Child
What to set in Screen Time, and in what order, before giving a child an iPad. Uses iPadOS 27 menu names, with passcode tips and where Kinder Browser fits.
How to Use the Pomodoro Technique, and How to Apply It to Tidying Up
The Pomodoro Technique as its creator Francesco Cirillo describes it, what to do if 25 minutes is too long, using it for tidying, and a TidyTimer setup.
When Do Kids Start Writing Letters? Signs of Readiness and How to Prepare
When can children start writing letters? What UK, US and Japanese school standards expect, survey data on hiragana, signs of readiness and how to prepare.
Does Brain Training Work? What Research Shows and What It Doesn't
Is brain training pointless? What the ACTIVE trial, a Nature study of 11,430 people and a 2016 review show: trained tasks improve, wider gains are limited.
Chess Checkmate Puzzles for Beginners: How to Solve Mate in 2 and Beyond
A plain guide to checkmate puzzles for beginners: how to read a mate in 2, why the key move is often quiet, common mating patterns, and when to move on.
Who Is Chess365 For?
Who benefits from Chess365: beginners learning what mate looks like, players who miss mates in their own games, club players after daily tactics, returning players, and anyone who wants a daily puzzle.
Practical Tips for Using Chess365 Every Day
Ideas that make Chess365 a daily habit: read the line before moving, look at the king's squares, consider quiet first moves, watch for stalemate, save hints, and know when to move up.
Getting Started with Chess365: Your First Mate in 2
New to Chess365? Read the four pages of How to Play, start with a mate in 2, play your moves out against Black's defence, use a hint without giving the move away, and solve the daily challenge.
Why the Order of Operations Matters: Teaching Function Composition With a Puzzle
Add 2 then multiply by 3, or the other way round? Small worked examples for teaching children composition, inverse operations and working backwards.
Tsume Shogi for Beginners: How to Start With Mate in 3
A plain guide to tsume shogi for beginners: the rules that surprise newcomers, how to read a mate in 3 before you move, and when to move on to 5 and 7.
30 Easy Japanese Classics on Aozora Bunko for Learners
Thirty short Japanese classics on Aozora Bunko, roughly ordered from easiest to hardest, with notes for learners on length, furigana and old kana spelling.
30 Free Classic Books for English Learners (Project Gutenberg)
Thirty short, plainly written classics for English learners, all free on Project Gutenberg, with an honest note on what each book is and how hard it reads.
Practical Tips for Playing Math Gates
Ideas that make Math Gates more rewarding: start from the gap, read the line before Run, go back for three stars later, reread the Codex, and set up hints and ads for a child.
Getting Started with Math Gates: Your First Machine
New to Math Gates? Read the board, place your first gate, watch the preview line, press Run, and learn what the stars, the discovery cards and the Hint button actually do.
Getting Started with AlphaGeorge: Your First Cambridge Practice Session
New to AlphaGeorge? Take the five-minute diagnostic test, open your first unit, try the daily warm-up, and see how hearts, plans and level tests work.
Getting Started with KanjiN: Your First Handwritten Kanji Drill
New to KanjiN? Check your level with the Skill Check, try Today's Drill, pick a grade, Kanken or JLPT level, and add your own questions in My Data.
Practical Tips for Reading with ABC George Every Day
Habits that make ABC George work: choosing a book below your level, using Chat view on tired evenings, not looking up every word, keeping the daily quiz small, and downloading before you travel.
Getting Started with ABC George: Your First English Book
New to ABC George? Find a first book on the Start here shelf, download it, pick a reading view, look up words with a long-press, and take your first quiz built from your own reading.
Practical Tips for Using Shogi365 Every Day
Ideas that make Shogi365 a daily habit: solve before reading the clock, count the king's escape squares, save hints for first moves, use failures, and when to move up a difficulty.
Getting Started with Shogi365: Your First Tsume Shogi Puzzle
New to Shogi365? Read the four-page tutorial, start with a mate in 3, play the checks out on the board, use a hint without giving the move away, and solve the daily challenge.
Practical Tips for Reading Japanese with Niho
Habits that make Niho work day to day: short books first, Chat view for hard chapters, rough selections, turning off saving for words you know, the reading quiz, and a daily goal you can keep.
Getting Started with Niho: Your First Japanese Book
New to Niho? Pick a book from the Start here shelf, download it, choose a reading view, look up your first word, and meet it again in a quiz a day later. The first evening, step by step.
Practical Tips for Using Kinder Piano Every Day
Ideas that make Kinder Piano work in a real household: playing the demo first, staying in Slow mode longer than you think, stopping at two stars, using headphones for ear training, and where to put the iPad.
Getting Started with Kinder Piano: Your Child's First Song
New to Kinder Piano? Start on the screen keyboard, pick a first song, choose melody and Slow mode, read the finger numbers together, and set things up for grown-ups before you hand over the device.
Practical Tips for Using BrainDojo Kids Every Day
Ideas that make BrainDojo Kids work in a real household: stopping at three activities, when to use a stylus, saving My Font twice a year, and reading the learning report.
Getting Started with BrainDojo Kids: Your Child's First Session
New to BrainDojo Kids? Set up a player, run the first three Today's Training activities, walk through a course, and set a daily time limit before you hand over the device.
BrainDojo Free vs Plus: Which Plan Is Right for You?
An honest comparison of BrainDojo Free and Plus: what each plan includes, who each one suits, why the app is ad-free, and how to decide when to upgrade.
How to Use the Brain Meter in BrainDojo
Learn what the Brain Meter in BrainDojo shows, how completing multiple training sessions daily raises it, and how to use it as your daily training goal.
Getting Started with BrainDojo: Build a 10-Second Daily Brain Habit
New to BrainDojo? How to download the app, answer the short setup, play your daily Try games and the Brain Dojo Check, and build a brain-training habit.
Sudoku365 Tips: Streaks, Stats, and Steady Progress
Practical Sudoku365 tips: solve at a set time daily to protect your streak, climb difficulty levels gradually, and see progress in stats and best times.
Getting Started with Sudoku365: Your First Daily Puzzle
New to Sudoku365? Learn what the daily sudoku app offers, how to pick from four difficulty levels, build a daily puzzle habit, and use hints without guilt.
StudyX Japanese Letters TableHow-To
Everyday Ideas for StudyX Japanese Letters Table: From Chart to Quiz
Practical ideas for StudyX Japanese Letters Table: daily chart exploration, the listening game played together, writing on iPad, and romaji mode.
StudyX Japanese Letters TableHow-To
Getting Started with StudyX Japanese Letters Table: Your First Kana Chart
A beginner's guide to StudyX Japanese Letters Table: explore the interactive kana chart, tap any letter to hear its sound, and switch display modes.
StudyX Japanese Letters TracerHow-To
Practical Tips for Practicing Kana with StudyX Japanese Letters Tracer
Ideas for better kana practice with StudyX Japanese Letters Tracer: a few letters a day, pairing tracing with audio, and moving to smaller sizes.
StudyX Japanese Letters TracerHow-To
Getting Started with StudyX Japanese Letters Tracer: Your First Kana Tracing Session
New to StudyX Japanese Letters Tracer? Learn how to run your first hiragana and katakana tracing session with animated stroke-order guides and audio.
Kinder Browser Tips: Ideas for Everyday Family Use
Practical ideas for Kinder Browser: build an allowlist of learning sites with your child, review it as they grow, and pair it with Screen Time.
Getting Started with Kinder Browser: A Safe First Browser for Your Child
New to Kinder Browser? Learn how its boundaries work, approve your child's first sites, and hand over the iPad with confidence.
StudyX Smartpaper LettersHow-To
Tips for Practicing with StudyX Smartpaper Letters
Practical ideas for StudyX Smartpaper Letters: short daily tracing, Montessori color coding, moving from letters to word lists, and reviewing history.
StudyX Smartpaper LettersHow-To
Getting Started with StudyX Smartpaper Letters: Your First Tracing Session
New to StudyX Smartpaper Letters? Learn what the app is, how iPad, iPhone and Apple Pencil fit in, and how your first tracing session and scoring work.
Ideas for Getting More out of MathCal
Practical ideas for MathCal: short daily drills, hands-on lessons for younger kids, calendar stamps as a habit tracker, and pairing with homework time.
Getting Started with MathCal: Handwritten Math Practice for Kids
New to MathCal? Learn what this handwriting math app for kids offers, how a first session works, and how to build a daily practice habit.
Simple Ways to Enjoy StudyX Globe Atlas Together
Ideas for enjoying StudyX Globe Atlas together: spin-and-ask games, flag quizzes, learning country names in another language, and more.
Getting Started with StudyX Globe Atlas: Explore the World in Your Browser
Getting started with StudyX Globe Atlas: open the free interactive globe in your browser, explore countries, try the flag game, and switch languages.
Kinder Paint Tips: Simple Ideas for Everyday Creative Time
Practical Kinder Paint tips: Montessori-style independent drawing, Paint Academy tracing lessons, quiet-time creativity, and offline use on trips.
Getting Started with Kinder Paint: Your Child's First Drawing Session
New to Kinder Paint? Learn what this ad-free drawing app for kids ages 2 to 6 offers and how to guide a first drawing session, from canvases to brushes.
TidyTimer Tips: Small Timer Habits That Keep Your Home Tidy
Practical ways to use TidyTimer: a five-minute reset before bed, 15-minute room sprints, pairing every timer with a task list, and family cleanup sessions.
Getting Started with TidyTimer: A Free Online Timer for Tidying Up
New to TidyTimer? Learn how to open the free online tidying timer in your browser, pick a preset from 5 to 90 minutes, and line up your first tasks.
StudyX Mindsports Tips: Practice Smarter with Lessons, Move History, and Time Controls
Practical StudyX Mindsports tips: warm up with lessons, review matches with the move history, use undo, and adjust time controls to fit your practice.
Getting Started with StudyX Mindsports: Your First Steps into Chess, Shogi, and Go
New to StudyX Mindsports? Learn how to pick your first game, follow the beginner lessons, and play your first match against the adaptive offline AI.