More Practical Life Activities

These activities are designed to prepare a child for real life experiences, to help him develop skills which will increase his independence and confidence in himself.

While these activities appear completely non-academic, the concentration needed for later academic work is being developed, as well as muscular skills and left to right orientation will be needed for writing and reading.

Social Skills - to develop self confidence, independence and cooperation, to help child develop self discipline

Before a child can learn to say "excuse me" when he bumps into someone, he needs to first be aware he has bumped into them.  As obvious as this may seem, it is helpful to devise exercises which lead them to become more aware of his own movements and develop self control of them.

-Walk around furniture

-carry a chair with both hands

-opening and closing doors

-blowing a nose

-hanging up coats

- putting on shoes

-turning on/off faucets

-sitting on a chair

- walking around a rug without stepping on it

-covering ones mouth when coughing

-put on coats

Do all these activities with very deliberate movements to emphasize what is expected.  If you make it fun, the children will have fun!

Cutting - to develop had-eye coordination

Make sure the children are aware that these activities are not a group activity.  They are a "one person activity".

Be very deliberate in your movements.  It is very important to do so as the child will copy your movements 100 times faster.  If you demonstrate the activity in a natural motion, the child will speed up the procedure 100 times as fast.

Provide a plastic knife.  Emphasize the proper procedure in using a knife. Cut clay, soft fruits such as bananas or cooked vegetables, or cheese.  (use these as a personal snack)

Provide a cutting board.  Sometimes these are found at the dollar store. 

Peeler

After child has mastered cutting with a plastic knife, provide a potato peeler or cheese grater.  Cucumbers are easy to peel and the strips peeled off show well because of their color.

Cleaning and Scrubbing - To prepare for writing, working from left to right, and following a complex sequence

Point out the appearance of the things being cleaned before and after.

Use a small scrub brush, sponges, rags, detergent, etc.  Emphasize the pre-writing movements, ie. large circular arm movements, scrub from left to right, table, counters, sinks, etc.

Sweeping

Use good quality tools like real dust pans and brooms.  Make the supplies to child's level (cut off handle for better grip)

Dusting

Provide wooden fruit in a basket with a dust cloth.  Older children can dust activity shelves.