Who says that teaching kids life skills has to be boring?

There’s been a generational war brewing between Gen Z and the rest of us oldies, spurred on by their inflammatory memes. But despite all the fun they poke at our side partings – apparently, the young folks only part their hair down the middle – we don’t look down upon Gen Z as much as we envy them. 

It’s easy to see why older generations have banded together: we have the same shared traumas. There were certain rites of passage every kid born before ‘95 went through in an Indian household. I mean, can you even call yourself a 20th-century kid if you didn’t blot your math notebook with tears while your father was teaching you fractions at the dining table? 

We can’t wholly blame our parents for their stern approach. Trying to get kids to sit in one spot and learn something is a challenge – even more so now, given how integrated screens are in our life. While we were still experimenting with the internet, kids today can access a world of information at the touch of a button. But there’s a difference between having all this information and gaining knowledge. 

Growing up on the internet means having an information overload from a very young age. As a parent, it can be daunting to teach kids right from wrong, fact from fiction, and how to be a good person instead of an online troll. But parents and educators alike have realised that modern problems require modern solutions, creating educational tools that enable parents to make learning fun and an enriching experience for kids. One such group of innovators are the folks behind Dinostaury.

Founded by social entrepreneur Priyanka Shahra, Dinostaury is a series of books written with the help of childhood development experts and educators. These educational narratives impart valuable life skills to their young readers, and like any good parable, the story itself is the best part. With a goal to “raise conscious kids in innovative ways’, Dinostaury makes it easier for parents to teach kids aged 1-7, with their beautifully illustrated children’s books, engaging activities kits and, our favourite, flash cards. 

You might be thinking, what’s the point of flashcards, especially when kids can just read a book instead? 

Studies show that the use of flashcards for teaching kids can improve language skills, exercise their creativity and storytelling, and enhance memory and the ability to analyse problems. Flash cards are eco-friendly and portable. Reading a book with a child, or getting them to read by themselves can be a bit of a task for some parents. So flashcards can make a big difference by adding another layer to their reading experience, encouraging them to read more. 

We love how DinoStaury covers a variety of subjects for kids to learn about from a young age. Some are more straightforward, such as books and flashcards that talk about good manners and sharing, but some subjects they cover can be challenging for parents to talk about in an effective and easy-to-follow way, such as land pollution and climate change. 

DinoStaury does the latter beautifully. Through their Dina Helps Uncle Tree, kids get to learn about the impact of air pollution as Uncle Tree talks to Dina about how tired he is by having to work overtime to keep everyone’s breathing healthy. Parents can also use the narrative as a segue into teaching kids about primary plant care and developing an eco-friendly hobby. Another favourite of ours is Dinku’s Lunchbox, where kids can learn about the importance of nutrition, different food groups and building a positive relationship with all food, thanks to little Dinku and his talking lunchbox.

The best part is that DinoStaury has taken these lessons and turned them into flashcards as well to use alongside the books, taking the learning experience to the next level without the need to do boring writing exercises or grammar lessons. For example, Healthy Lunchbox Choices, which pairs with Dinku’s Lunchbox, goes over food groups and their benefits while making it a fun game which parents can play with their kids. 

DinoStaury shows us that there’s no one-size-fits-all method of learning or teaching, especially when it comes to children. Once you and your child get in the groove, the possibilities can be as endless as their imagination. 

Get started with DinoStaury here.