While children go to school to learn new life skills, they have a better chance of success if parents teach them critical skills before they begin school.
Fox59 interviewed education expert Deb Stuart, who recommended the following five life skills that children should be taught before heading off to kindergarten.
- Washing hands: Make sure children understands the importance of hand-washing and how to perform the task. Don't assume children already know how to do even the simplest of tasks.
- Managing clothing buttons: To increase their independence, children should be taught how to open and close the buttons and snaps of their pants, so they can go to the bathroom without the teacher's assistance. They should be able to put on and take off their jacket when going to recess as well.
- Know their name: Children should know their formal name, in addition to their nickname or preferred name.
- Backpack-savvy: Kids need to be able to open and close their backpack and know where everything is supposed to be stored. They also need to be able to put on the backpack and take it off.
- Easy-to-eat lunches: Make sure that lunch packaging is easy for children to open. Beware of juices and other items which could easily spill if not opened properly.
Stuart recommends practicing all five of these life skills at home before school starts. By mastering these simple but important tasks, children can focus all of their attention on learning academic skills.
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