Orbit · Explore

Explain Like I'm Five · by Tola Ibrahim · 2026-08-30

Can we talk about the underrated side of explainers

Context: I am not an expert, just someone trying to make Explain Like I'm Five feel less intimidating. I wrote down what worked, what felt awkward, and what I would do differently next time.

15 sparks · 16 comments

Comments

Cedar Baker · 6 likes

I am mostly here for the follow-up. I would love to see a follow-up after 2 weeks.

Mia Bauer · 3 likes

Did anyone else read this and immediately make a tiny checklist? The a neighborhood park detail changes the whole answer.

Kabir Khan · 7 likes

You just saved me a bad purchase.

Tola Ibrahim · 0 likes

Exactly; the hidden cost is energy.

Aoi Ito · 0 likes

Good clarification — I read it differently at first.

Maya Williams · 0 likes

I was going to disagree, but your second sentence got me.

Mara Fischer · 1 likes

Big fan of this approach. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.

Mateo Cruz · 1 likes

This is the gentle version of my rant.

Luciana Vargas · 1 likes

Can you share what you tried before this? A little friction removed goes a long way.

Minh Nguyen · 1 likes

Can you share what you tried before this? This pairs weirdly well with arepas.

Ngozi Bello · 0 likes

That is a good question for people with more experience than me. The social part surprised me too.

Hana Choi · 3 likes

Short answer: yes. Long answer: also yes.

Nusrat Akter · 0 likes

This has cozy competence written all over it. A little friction removed goes a long way.

Rapid Otter · 0 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. The Toronto example makes it feel concrete.

Budi Santoso · 0 likes

I do not have a strong take, but the talk detail is useful. I noticed the same thing in Seoul.

Aisha Rahman · 0 likes

Did anyone else read this and immediately make a tiny checklist? The Warsaw example makes it feel concrete.