20 Life Skills You Should Add to Your Homeschool

Adding chores to your homeschool day not only makes your workload lighter but it teaches the children responsibility, working towards a job well done, and very important life skills. This is why I feel that it is so important to add them as part of your homeschool day. We may do many of these things with our children from time to time but are we really being intentional with teaching these life skills?

Each of these skills can be worked into your homeschool day by adding books on the topics or working on the skill throughout the day.

Life Skills

1. Laundry– Even toddlers can help sort towels from darks and lights, fold small hand towels, and put them in the cabinet. Older children can wash their own laundry, fold, and put it away.

2. Taking care of pets– Whether you have indoor or outdoor critters (even fish) buy or check out books from the library on how to care for that specific animal, assign the reading to your child as part of their lesson plans.

3. Taking care of plants– Not everyone has the space or the desire for large outdoor gardens but we all have room for a plant or two that a child can nurture by watering, trimming away dead plant matter, and repotting when it gets too big.

4. Wrapping a present– Birthdays, Christmas, Fathers Day, there are so many occasions throughout the year that present perfect opportunities for children to learn to wrap presents. Besides being more involved in the gift giving process they are building fine motor skills through cutting, folding, and taping.

5. Basic knife skills– Start with plastic knives at a very young age and teach them safety, how to properly cut and store knives.

6. Set the table– Not just tossing plates and a fork on the table, research a casual but proper place setting and have them practice it, what a cool skill.

7. Make their bed– Maybe you already do this, but maybe you think your kids are too young or its just easier and better if you do it- give them a chance it wont be perfect but they will be so proud of their efforts.

8. Read a simple recipe– One of the first times a child is introduced to fractions is through cooking from a recipe, take the time to explain it more in depth. Help them follow through each direction step by step and explain the importance of not leaving anything out.

9. How to research– Using the library, internet, and home reference books, it is a skill they will take through their entire lives.

10. Write a letter– This is a dying skill I am afraid. With email and phones theres seems to be less  and less reason for a letter but like handwriting I hate to see an entire generation lose it entirely. Teach your child to properly address, write, and close a letter as well as the envelope.

11. Manage money– As young as preschool your child can begin to be taught how to save money, to work towards something they want, and 

12. Setting goals– Make a list, create a vision board, anything that works for you. Ask them to set some goals and equip them to achieve them, celebrate victories!

13. Sewing– If nothing else a child should learn to at least sew a button back on but at least dive into following a simple pattern or sewing a hem.

14. Budgeting– Kids don’t have a very realistic idea of how much things cost or how  $100 comes in and out in a second. Let them see a pic into your own budgeting to give them a grasp of what it is, grocery budgets are a great place to start. Let them help you create a list with your allotted budget and see  where the money goes and how hard it can be to stay within the bounds.

15. Use the library– Beyond just getting them their own library card teach them how to search for books using the call number, how to use the circulation desk, and information desk.

16. Basic First Aid– Let your child help you put together a first aid kit and teach them how to do their own simple first aid like cleaning a scrape, blotting it dry, putting on antibacterial and medicine, when to use ice, when to use heat, and when to call 911.

17. Map reading– Who needs a map when you have GPS? While we love to rely on technology sometimes it fails us and its just a good idea to have a basic understanding of maps and direction.

18. Hygiene– Brushing, flossing, washing, shampooing, deodorant, and eventually shaving and feminine care are all things we really have to be intentional about. Gift your child with a book to read on the subject in addition to just talking about it. Make a checklist to hang up in the bathroom to complete before school begins and before bed.

19. Emergency preparedness– Depending on where you live you likely have some type of protocol to prepare for hurricanes, tornados. Earthquakes, or ice storms. Teaching your child at a young age to create a 72 hour box with basics like flashlights, water, batteries, etc… will assure that by adulthood they are prepared. 

20. Scheduling– Give each of your children their own planner or calendar. Take time each week to write out birthday, special holidays, field trips, test days, breaks, etc…  This will help give them a sense of control over life and they will be able to reference it when they want to know when something is happening.

Do you have a particular skill that you require in your homeschool? 

Here’s to growing up children that can move out and be responsible adults in our everchanging world.

In His Grace,

Callie