Whether your kids are in the ‘exploring their pack and play’ stage, learning to ride their bike around the neighborhood, or out tackling the adventures of life on their own – they all want to explore their world. As a parent, I want to equip my kids with skill sets that will let them tackle their neighborhood today and the world tomorrow – with confidence! There are some basic life skills that are important to teach our kids so they can become fully functioning adults.

Important Life Skills for Kids

How to Boil Water:

All kids should learn how to boil water. This simple skill allows them to make hot chocolate, oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, and of course – Ramen Noodles!

Ride a Bike:

If you can ride a bike, you can travel the world. Many countries don’t rely on cars the way we do in America. Bikes require no gasoline, minimum upkeep and will get you anywhere you need to go in a pinch. When we visited the Bahamas after we got married, we weren’t even old enough to rent a car. But we could have rented bicycles!

Read:

If you can read, you can figure out almost anything. You can decipher instruction manuals, learn how to assemble a child’s toy, go on adventures in far-off places, and figure out how to master a Xbox game.

Ask Questions:

A well-asked question will get you the answers you need to navigate life. Anyone with a teenager knows that it’s all about the question. If you ask a question that can be answered with a yes or no, you will never get full information. But if you phrase the question correctly – you can discover a wealth of information.

Listen:

There’s a reason we have 2 ears and only 1 mouth. Listen to what your kids tell you and then rephrase it for them so they can learn from your actions. Listening is not a passive experience. We need to teach our kids that when we really listen, we put down the phone, close the computer and look them in the eye. Listening is something that requires our full attention and is a skill to be practiced.

How to Make Healthy Choices

Our kids need to learn that healthy lifestyle choices are not just for adults. They need to be active every day so they can avoid some of the health issues that our generation faces. Take time to go swimming or hiking on a family outing. Go outside and play cornhole after supper instead of playing electronics. Keep fresh fruit out on the counter so it is readily available for healthy snacks. Find what works best for you and make sure the kids are living an active lifestyle!

If your family has Fitbits, then make sure you check out the family challenges you can start each week. This is a great way to compete for active steps each week!

Swim:

Swimming can be plain fun. But it can also be a way to earn money (summer lifeguard anyone?), save a life, provide great exercise and stay healthy.

Order pizza:

Yes, this is an important skill. Kids need to have the knowledge of how to dial a number on the phone, talk to the person on the other end and make an intelligent order. If they can order a pepperoni pizza on the phone, then you can be confident they will be able to handle other phone calls down the road. A simple pizza order requires them to remember what they are ordering, speak clearly so the person on the other end can understand them, and complete a financial transaction on the phone.

Order from a menu:

When we go out to eat at a sit-down restaurant, we help our kids decide on their orders. Then when it’s time to order, they place their own order with the waitress. We’ve practiced so they are ready and able to answer the questions of what sides they want and any side dressings or condiments. They need to learn this skill now so they will be able to go on field trips or outings with others as they get older. We don’t want them to be intimidated by a menu.

Manage a bank account:

Even young children can start working on this life skill. Whether you start a savings account where they deposit birthday money and special gifts periodically throughout the year or help them establish an A+ Savings account at a local bank. A savings account is a great way to learn how the banking system works.

Kids that learn how to manage a small amount of money when they are young are more likely to intelligently handle a full checking account and future credit cards when they are on their own.

Find a book in the library:

Most of us remember the old card catalog and the process of looking up books in the libraries. Now the kids get to do a search on the computer and find the books they want. But they still have to know how to read those numbers and look for the books on the shelf. . Next time you go to the library with your kids, take a minute to introduce them to the letters and numbers that will help them find their books. Then give them an assignment to see if they can find a particular book on the shelf Just because books are now cataloged on the computer systems, it’s still important for kids to understand how to search for a book and find it on the shelf.

Use a Coupon:

Our kids are learning the value of a coupon. I sometimes take just one child with me shopping and let them help me use my coupons. They can understand the importance of matching the item with the coupon and get to check the expiration date. When they see that the coupon is worth money, it helps them understand the cost of food.

What skills do you think are important for kids to learn? I’d love to hear from you!