Children and parents tend to focus on academics more than anything. Thankfully, they have taken to sports, music, and other curricular activities that are well supported by parents and teachers alike. However, it is important for parents and teachers to recognise the significance of core life skills that come in handy for every individual.

Teaching critical life skills (without any gender bias) to children at an early age can help them grow into a more responsible, self-reliant adult. It is important to shape their habits from a young age and it could start with something as simple as gathering their own toys.

It is practicing small habits that go a long way, help children be more organized and learn to prioritize better in their growing years. Imparting simple skills like cleaning up after themselves, filling their own bottle, or putting their dishes in the kitchen after a meal make for a great start.

There are myriad benefits of teaching life skills to kids. They begin to understand their responsibilities better, they react responsibly in social situations, and develop a mechanism to be independent in all situations. They need to be encouraged into thinking they are enough for themselves.

Here’s a list of important life skills that can be imparted among children;

💡 1. Meal preparation  

Encourage your child to help out in the kitchen, introduce them to the concept of meal preparation. The child can begin with helping out a parent in preparing a meal for themself. From sourcing the required vegetables from the fridge to thoroughly washing them, and putting them together in a pan; kids can participate and observe at every step of the prep. Invest in an age-appropriate ladder, where your child can safely stand alongside you. When children actually witness the effort that goes into curating a meal, their perspective towards a meal will also be much more respectful. They recognise the effort that goes into preparing and would want to finish what is served. The habit of helping out in the kitchen can make them more independent to fetch food for themselves; at the least they could make themselves a bowl of fruit.

💡 2. Health and Hygiene

Health and hygiene habits go a long way. This is a habit that can be inculcated among children at a young age. This real life skill is a must for individuals of all ages. Make it a practise for them to wash their hands before eating anything, ask them to keep their play area clean, study table organized, and they should get into the habit of taking a shower every morning and after play time. Guide them to put their clothes in the washer, let them fold their washed clothes and place them in its appropriate place. This can be practised on a daily basis so they understand the concept of wearing washed clothes.           

💡 3. Problem Solving

Refrain from helping children out with putting together an outfit for the day, let them independently complete the puzzles, refuse to repair their toys or even replace the broken ones. This will encourage a habit to learn to solve their own problems. They will learn how to fix their toys, put together a puzzle, and rather learn to take care of their belongings better. This is a huge step towards imbibing responsible behavior.

💡 4. Decision making

Let the children pick out their own outfits, select their choice of ice cream, and meals whenever possible. Simple habits like these will make children confident to make their own decisions. These small decisions give the children confidence to make sound decisions in life, imparting responsible behaviour in their adult life.

💡5. Household chores

Small chores like cleaning their own rooms, organising their study, and cleaning up the table after a meal are some simple chores that children can help out with. These habits will give children a sense of responsibility and encourage them to independently get more done around the house.                               
Use this checklist of life skills to begin imparting simple responsibilities among children. These are some critical life skills that will come in handy and make a smooth transition from adolescence to adulthood. It’s important to begin early so children get into the habit of doing their chores independently.

Square Panda believes in holistic development that focuses on developing skills, good habits, using effective resources, and imbibing best practices to grow into more responsible individuals. Focusing on academics sits at the core for every growing child but it needs to be accompanied with core life skills and good values.