Best 7 Basic Life Skills Every Toddler Should Start Learning
7 basic life skills for toddler

Making sure that your children have well-developed life skills is an essential part of parenting. However, many parents believe that they don’t need to teach their children important lessons about life until they turn five or six years old, which is not true. When it comes to teaching them life skills the sooner you start the better. 

In this article, we will tell you about some of the most essential life skills your toddler needs to start learning now in order to become a successful and well-balanced individual in the future. 

Decision-making skills

Knowing how to make good decisions and taking responsibility for your choices is not just a natural talent, it is a skill that can and should be taught. Of course, a toddler cannot be entrusted with life-changing decisions but trusting them with simple decisions (such as what kind of T-shirt to wear for the day or what to order at a restaurant) is not only appropriate but necessary. 

Children should learn from an early age that their decisions have consequences. So, teach them how to weigh the pros and cons before they make a choice. If they get the desired result praise them for making the correct decision however if their choice leads to something unfavorable remind them to think more carefully about their decisions in the future. 

Taking care of their health and personal hygiene

Children are never too young to start learning about the importance of taking care of their health and developing good personal hygiene habits. This is why every responsible parent constantly has to remind their children to wash their hands, brush their teeth, eat more fruits and vegetables, etc. 

Sometimes children tend to express resistance when they’re given such instructions but if you explain to them in simple terms why eating healthy food and maintaining good hygiene is important for our well-being, I’m sure they will be more cooperative.

Time management skills

Time management is another crucial skill all human beings need to master if they wish to become successful adults. And it is never too early to teach children how to manage their time efficiently. Of course, at an early stage toddlers can’t yet tell time so they will need the guidance of their parents, but the significant thing is that they will understand the importance of keeping to a schedule. 

There are multiple large colorful clocks sold in toy stores around the country that can help children develop time management skills. For instance, If you buy an analog clock you can teach them that when the small hand of the clock points at a certain number, they need to do a certain task (such as brush their teeth, have a bath, or go to sleep). After they have completed the task successfully at the right time you can praise them and, if you wish, reward them with a colorful sticker.

Cleaning their room

“Clean your room” is probably the phrase that is most commonly used by parents on a weekly basis. If you get your toddler into the habit of cleaning their living space then you will not have to tell them to clean their room so often when they become a teenager; tidying up will become one of those habits they do without thinking. 

Of course, the chores have to be age-appropriate (needless to say your toddler should never have access to any cleaning fluids or cleaning equipment that might harm them). At this stage of their lives simply pitting their toys away to their proper place after they have finished playing with them is sufficient. 

Getting ready for an upcoming event

Making sure that everything you need for an upcoming activity or an event is ready is a crucial life skill to have. Nowadays even toddlers have busy lifestyles and they have multiple places to go to (kindergarten, play dates, trips to grandparent’s house, etc.) So instead of packing their backpack all by yourself have your toddler do it; of course, you need to supervise and help out when necessary. At this age, children don’t yet have the gift of foresight so they don’t really know what items they will need for an upcoming trip. Not only should you tell them that they need to wear something appropriate for the weather, but also remind them to pack a toothbrush, some clean clothes, healthy snacks, etc. 

Eventually, your child will learn to judge by themselves what to take with them on a trip and want to leave at home. 

Doing laundry

Even if you have just one toddler in your house you still have a lot of laundry to do on a daily basis; so why not get your toddler involved in the process and teach them the value of this life skill? They can help you with separating the colored, white, and dark clothes, loading and unloading the washing machine, folding, and other simple laundry-related tasks. Doing laundry is closely tied to personal hygiene, and since nobody likes an adult in dirty smelly clothes you will be doing your children a great favor by teaching them the importance of doing laundry and wearing fresh clothes from an early age. 

Patience

Patience is one of those characteristics children are not known for. In fact, when it comes to getting toys, snacks, or other things they want all children to have more of an “I want it all, and I want it now!” approach. 

This type of attitude is mostly dismissed when children are toddlers however the characteristic absolutely should not follow them into adulthood. So, the earlier you start teaching them how to be patient the better. 

 

To conclude, when it comes to teaching a valuable life skill you should not wait until your child turns five or six; you can start their education when they are still a toddler like getting a good tutor from agencies like www.tutorcity.sg. Be careful not to overwhelm them though and choose only age-appropriate tasks. 

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