Why the chess piece is called a knight in English, and it moves the same way, with the letter G?
The child who learned chess in the school club goes to play with his grandfather. He makes the first move and announces in Russian, as he can: «I…»
27 Oct 2026
Halloween quest at home: Find the missing pumpkin with the help of clues in Russian
«One, two, three, four, five, I'm going to look for it.» Many parents decide this on their own, without thinking. «If you haven't hidden yourself, I won't..."
27 Oct 2026
The seven-digit number with and without a dash: why numbers are written differently at home and at school
Suppose a child is baking with his grandmother some pancakes from his old recipe book. He reads them out loud, slowly, line by line. And suddenly he stops…
26 Oct 2026
What to write on the dish card for a school potluck if your salad is called mimosa
The riskiest word on a school desk could be the name of your salad. Imagine a card next to the bowl. Big, in children's handwriting, one...
26 Oct 2026
Six pies for four, how to honestly split the two remaining ones
At the table, where six people are eating four pieces of pie, the decision is usually made by the first person to yell «Chur!» «Chur, that’s mine!» Or in English…
26 Oct 2026
«I'm scared, take my hand,» what a child might say on Halloween
«In a black-and-black city, on a black-and-black street, in a black-and-black house… From there, many parents will make their own arrangements. The narrator’s voice becomes quieter and quieter. Black-and-black…
26 Oct 2026
Filler words in the Russian language and how to break the habit of using them
Record yourself on a tape recorder. Three minutes, about anything. How the day went, what you watched yesterday. Then listen. The first feeling in your…
25 Oct 2026
The child mixes Russian and English when it's normal, but when it's time to see a specialist
In any American office where two Russian-speaking people work, you can hear something like this: «I'll send you the file by email; it's in the attachment…"
25 Oct 2026
Official business style: why «please provide» is normal on paper but strange at the kitchen table
Here is a typical vacation request. It is rarely written, and the wording has to be recalled every time. «Please grant me annual paid leave with…
24 Oct 2026
The Earth's oceans for children and why we go to the sea when there is an ocean nearby
In the summer, in Russian families in California, Florida, and New Jersey, they say, «we’re going to the beach.» They gather towels, a shovel, and a panama hat. And behind…
24 Oct 2026
