life skills

Free Printable Homeschool Life Skills Checklist for Your Homeschool Planner

October 5, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You’ll love my newest form which is a printable homeschool life skills checklist. Also, grab more free homeschool forms on my page Homeschool Planner.

Whether you call them chores or life skills, it’s what we strive to teach our kids during our whole homeschool journey.

Besides, when children are young, chores can help a child develop fine motor skills but also foster independence.

Free Printable Homeschool Life Skills Checklist for Your Homeschool Planner

And like any skill it is best taught through imitation and repetition.

When children are young, it’s helpful to list chores to guide them in how to eventually care for themselves.

Also, they learn by imitating what you do.

For example, a two-year-old sees you sweeping and the next thing you see your toddler grabs a broom and attempts to sweep. Nurture that love of wanting to help.

Beyond that as I mentioned, the process of learning self-care and then how to care for others nurtures self-reliant qualities.

What Are Life Skills

First, what are life skills.

I’ve read many definitions but basically it is a set of skills that helps a person take care of self and others.

And although I listed many physical things on the list, some things like handling emotions, making decisions, not being entitled, are learned the same way.

Children learn these vital skills in many ways.

We homeschool so that our kids can learn from us; we are our child’s foremost teacher.

And another safe way kids learn life skills is through direct hands-on learning.

This is why it’s important that our children learn them while under our supervision.

They understand successes and failures and consequences for their actions.

Beyond practical life skills like managing self-care, learning finances, and meal prepping, children have much to learn about healthy relationships with others.

Additionally, critical thinking skills and even compassion and empathy can appear void in some adults.

How I organized the printable

Lastly, instead of assigning an age to the skill, I just listed skills from the easiest to complex.

Some children have special needs, others are more advanced than their sibling, and still some struggle in one area over another.

So, you can use a different color for each child or use one with all your children. I made them so you could print one for each school year and simply highlight the skill when you feel you’ve covered it enough with your children.

Also, you’ll love some of these pretty supplies for your homeschool planner.

15 Gorgeous Homeschool Planner Supplies

Whether you add a bit of eye candy or consider it essential supplies, you'll love some of these ideas.

Poppin Zip Folios, Aqua

Set of 3 slide-tab reusable plastic envelopes

Bubble Shape Sticky Notes

8 Bright Colors: Including blue, light blue, green, yellow, orange, rose red, pink and purple; colorful memo pads that look good and are hard to ignore.

Light Soft Color Erasable Highlighter Pen

Highlighter Pen, 6 Color Set

6-in-1 Multicolor Ballpoint Pen

I love these because every color you need is available in one pen.

Plastic Binder Dividers with Pockets

You can add dividers to your planner by cutting off just a bit of it and it still can be coil bound, but let the office personnel where you take your planner to be bound to trim it for you.

Eco-friendly Wood & Plastic Free Rainbow Pencils

RAINBOW PAPER PENCIL:The inner body of pencils is made of rainbow -like recycled papers.Premium #2 HB grade lead for smooth writing and drawing.

Highlighter, Pastel Colors Chisel Tip Marker Pen

USA Brand ZEYAR, AP Certified. BRIGHT COLORS: the assortment of Great bright Fluorescent or Macaron inks protect and emphasize your handwritten texts, No shadow on the next
page

Bible Highlighters and Pens No Bleed

These work beautiful on your planners. Bible Safe Dry Highlighters: These no bleed highlighters are great for journaling and memorizing verses

Package Include: you will receive 30 rolls of glitter washi tapes in 30 colors, each measuring about 2 meters/ 2.2 yards in length and 1 cm/ 0.4 inch in width, abundant in quantity, enough to satisfy your daily decorating and crafting needs

BOSOBO Mouse Pad

► PERSONALIZED MOUSE PAD: Measure 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.1inch ( 200mm x 200mm x 3mm), small size but perfect size for work and game. Elegant geometric shape and exquisite illustration add personality to your office, perfect for all style desktop, office, home, computer, keyboard and mice.

Canon PIXMA TR150 Wireless Mobile Printer

You don't need an expensive printer to print your homeschool planner. I've used this mobile printer for years.

Eco Highlighter Pencils

Eco Highlighter Pencils - Set of 5 Colors - Will Not Bleed or Dry Out - Includes Wooden Sharpener

Semikolon Sticky Page Tab Markers

I've used these for years and love them.

And then I have hundreds of free homeschool planning forms.

Grab some of them below.

More Homeschool Planning Resources

Look at these other homeschool planner forms.

Finally, look how to grab this free printable.

How to Get the Free Printable Homeschool Life Skills Checklist

Now, how to grab the free printable checklist. This is a subscriber freebie.

1) Sign up on my list.
2) Grab the freebie now.
3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

How to Help Kids Go Beyond the Basics of Homeschool Cooking & Resources

September 20, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today I’m sharing tips on helping your kids go beyond the basics of homeschool cooking and resources. Also, you’ll love the tips I share on my post How to Incorporate Subjects into a Fun Homeschool Cooking Unit Study.

Do you want to take your teens lessons beyond the basics but keep it simple?

How to Help Kids Go Beyond the Basics of Homeschool Cooking & Resources

Teach your kids to move beyond teaching them to whip eggs, bake a cake, and cook grilled cheese.

It’s time to move on to the next thing – preparing them for independence outside the home.

Whether it’s next year or 3 years away you can start teaching them what they need and how to be the master of their own kitchen.

Besides, you want them to exercise that independence at home first.

More Homeschool Cooking

Learn How to Set Up a Kitchen

For this lesson, have your teen do a lot of their own research using books and the internet.

Your child or teen can learn how to: set up a kitchen for:

cooking
baking
and other miscellaneous supplies they’ll need.

First, look at some of these resources and a great cooking curriculum.

14 Learning How To Cook Books and Games

Add some of these books and games to your homeschool cooking unit study to learn life skills and have fun with the entire family.

Food Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Our Edible World

Get your recommended daily allowance of facts and fun with Food Anatomy, the third book in Julia Rothman’s best-selling Anatomy series. She starts with an illustrated history of food and ends with a global tour of street eats. Along the way, Rothman serves up a hilarious primer on short-order egg lingo and a mouthwatering menu of how people around the planet serve fried potatoes — and what we dip them in. Award-winning food journalist Rachel Wharton lends her expertise to this light-hearted exploration of everything food that bursts with little-known facts and delightful drawings. Everyday diners and seasoned foodies alike are sure to eat it up.

Cooking Curriculum for the Whole Family

your homeschool curriculum needs life skills and your life needs kids who help out.

Connect with your kids in the kitchen, build life skills, and put peace into your homeschool day.

Who Was Julia Child?

Born in California in 1912, Julia Child enlisted in the Army and met her future husband, Paul, during World War II. She discovered her love of French food while stationed in Paris and enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu cooking school after her service. Child knew that Americans would love French food as much as she did, so she wrote Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 1961. The book was a success and the public wanted more. America fell in love with Julia Child. Her TV show, The French Chef, premiered in 1963 and brought the bubbling and lovable chef into millions of homes. Find out more about this beloved chef, author, and TV personality in Who Was Julia Child?

The Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids

Break out your best aprons and spatulas: The Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids, 2nd Edition teaches children the basics of science through a variety of fun experiments, activities, and recipes. Each chapter explores a different science topic by giving you an experiment or activity you can do right in your kitchen, followed by easy-to-make recipes using ingredients from the experiment. Altogether there are over 100 experiments, activities, and recipes for you to try. From learning why an onion makes you cry to how to bake the perfect cupcake, you'll bring the fundamentals of science to life in a new, magical way.

MasterChef Junior Cookbook: Bold Recipes and Essential Techniques to Inspire Young Cooks

Creativity, hard work, and lots of fun—that’s what it takes to cook like a master. Beloved television competition show MasterChef Junior fosters all of this within each of its pint-size home cooks, and what they whip up is truly impressive. This book aims to give any aspiring young chef the tools he or she needs to hone essential cooking skills, with 100 recipes inspired by dishes that the contestants served in the first five seasons, as well as timeless techniques, tips, and advice. With this book, anyone can become an excellent cook.

MasterChef Family Cooking Game.

Bring Masterchef Into Your Kitchen: Turn Mealtime Into Game Time With This Exciting New Culinary Board Game. Teach Kids Valuable Cooking Skills Through A Series Of Fun Challenges With Delicious Results. Find Out If Your Family Has What It Takes To Become The Ultimate Masterchef

Guacamole Game - Cooperative and Critical Thinking Ingredient Matching Card Game

EASY TO PLAY: Players must use critical thinking to collect the ingredients for their guacamole recipes.

FAMILY FUN: This lively family card game is perfect for kids to spice up their day or for contemplative adults.

Foodie Fight Revised: A Trivia Game for Serious Food Lovers

FIND THE BIGGEST FOODIE: Test your knowledge on topics ranging from culinary science to celebrity chefs, exotic cuisine to cooking and baking skills.

Your Kids: Cooking!: A Recipe for Turning Ordinary Kids Into Extraordinary Cooks

Your Kids: Cooking! is a fun and engaging hands-on cooking program that prepares kids for a lifetime of healthy eating by teaching them how to turn fresh, wholesome ingredients into healthy and delicious meals. Much more than a just a cookbook, YKC is a multimedia cooking program that teaches kids how to cook in a structured, fun, and engaging way.

Melon Rind Check The Oven! Math Game - Adding to 12 Card Game for Kids (Ages 7 and up)

Sometimes you just need to break it up with a fun family game, but to stay on theme let's go with the quick play card game - Check the Oven.

Throw Throw Burrito

Another one that our family enjoys for fun that is food-themed is Throw Throw Burrito, you will end up in stitches with this one.

Teens Cook

Teenagers like what they like, and they will only eat what they like. But instead of causing mealtime strife, now they can learn to cook those foods themselves. With over 75 delicious recipes for meals at all times of the day—breakfast, snacks, sides, dinners, and dessert, too—Teens Cook is a guide to everything teenagers (and tweens) need to learn about conquering the kitchen without accidentally setting the house on fire. Written by teens and for teens in easy-to-follow instructions, authors Megan and Jill Carle give young readers advice on how to maneuver their kitchen in a language they’ll understand (and actually listen to). The Carle sisters pass on their knowledge of how to decipher culinary vocabulary, understand kitchen chemistry (why stuff goes right and wrong when cooking), adapt recipes to certain dietary restrictions (like vegetarianism), and avoid all sorts of possible kitchen disasters.

Where's Mom Now That I Need Her: Surviving Away from Home

WHERE'S MOM NOW THAT I NEED HER?: Surviving Away from Home is the ultimate guide to living away from home! It is filled with real world information and basic survival tips on topics such as:

Cooking for BEGINNERS with Recipes for Quick, Easy Meals
Nutrition
Grocery Shopping
Laundry and Clothing Care
First Aid
And lots more

The Happy Planner - Foodie (Recipe Organizer)

During their last few years at home, it is a great time to put together a book of family recipes. This Happy Planner Recipe Book is a great place to preserve recipes while they work on penmanship and attention to
detail. It has a kitchen conversion list and then is broken down into 8 categories.

Next, you want your child to learn how to set up a kitchen.

Homeschool Cooking Setting Up a Starter Kitchen

I think a very important aspect of their last years of homeschooling is learning how to set up their own kitchen so let’s dig into that a little.

This is an opportunity for them to explore their tastes, while they change.

Not only research styles, but they can compare prices and figure out how much a starter kitchen will set them back.

Kitchen Prepware

Mixing Bowls
Cutting Board
Measuring cups/spoons
Basic knife set
Vegetable peeler
Grater
Can opener

Cookware

Pots and Pans including:
10 and an 8-quart stockpot
5-quart pot or a Dutch oven
2 and a 1-quart saucepan
8-10 inch skillet
12-14” skillet
Casserole Dish

Have them research different materials like copper, nonstick, and glass versus stone, to decide which is best for their needs.

Bakeware

Cookie sheets
Baking pans with sides
Muffin tin
Pie plate

Utensils for a New Kitchen

Spatulas
Whisks
Tongs
Colander
Wooden spoons
Potato masher

Small Appliances

Coffee Maker
Stand Mixer
Air Fryer
Blender

Eating Utensils

Utensils
Plates
Bowls
Cups

Miscellaneous Items for a Starter Kitchen

Oven mitts/pot holders
Dish drying rack
Dish towels
Cleaning supplies

Small and Large Appliance Care

You will also want to teach about basic kitchen appliance use, how to care for them, clean them, and simple maintenance.

This includes items like the microwave, oven, fridge, coffee pot, mixers, and toasters/toaster ovens.

Many kids leave home without knowing how to descale a coffee pot or safely and properly clean an oven. Learning that care and maintenance extend the life of your small and large appliances is

Here are some additional skills you might want to teach this year:

Clean an Oven
Descale a coffee pot
Clean and sanitize your refrigerator
How to clean a microwave
Caring for cookware

Budgeting, Meal Planning, and Shopping

Finally, If you have not yet introduced these three important skills this is a great time to, it is as important as learning how to stock and maintain a kitchen.

Teach them to create a grocery list by “shopping” from the pantry first.
Add Meal Planning for Beginners: 10 Steps for Success to what you already know to help prepare them for independence.
How to Make a Food Budget You’ll Stick To can give your teen some good basics.
Scroll down for two free different master grocery lists to help teach grocery shopping skills.

How to Effortlessly Blend Kindergarten Homeschool Subjects & Life

July 21, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Blending kindergarten homeschool subjects and life doesn’t make it easy to determine kindergarten homeschool curriculum.

However, today I’m helping you to know how to effortlessly blend the kindergarten subjects with what you’re doing naturally every day.

Further, don’t forget up to this time you have not used any curriculum in your instruction.

Sometimes very little kindergarten homeschool curriculum is needed.

In addition, families vary in their needs, but all children benefit from a gentle and relaxed approach to the kindergarten homeschool subjects.

How to Effortlessly Blend Kindergarten Homeschool Subjects & Life

Moreover, it’s important to build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

And it begins what the subjects that are foundational and the subjects that can be folded into your day naturally.

Beginning my journey 20+ years ago, I didn’t have to make a choice about common core and by the time the No Child Left Behind act was passed, I was well on my way to homeschooling.

Because the educational world can be muddled to trek through, I will give you a glimpse of what is important at this age.

Essential Kindergarten Subjects

Too, it’s important for you to first to know what subjects you need and want to teach.

1. Begin with the subjects your local homeschool law requires.

First, begin with your local law.

No, you don’t choose homeschool curriculum first because your local law could be relaxed or it could be rigid. And your curriculum can help or hinder you meet state law.

Choose curriculum after you’re familiar with the subjects you must teach.

2. Second, focus on math and language arts which are your essential subjects

Then, know what are foundational subjects for kindergarten.

Although curriculum companies tout that you need all subjects, the truth of it is that math and language arts are the key components.

But, I know you want details because that is what I needed to when teaching my first child.

What’s more look below at this list to see what skills you need to focus on.

ESSENTIAL SUBJECTS IN KINDERGARTEN

MATH | LANGUAGE ARTS (Tip: The subjects vary by age and grade.) For Kindergarten, the subjects are Reading, Phonics, and Writing.

SKILLS TAUGHT IN MATH	SKILLS TAUGHT IN LANGUAGE ARTS
Know the ordinal numbers up to 10, but recite numbers to 100	Names the parts of a book like cover, back, and inside pages. Understands which direction to hold the book And knows that a story has a beginning, middle and ending .

Knows how to compare two groups to understand the more than, less than and equal to.	Recognizes the letters of the alphabet and understands that the letter represents sounds.
Recognizes shapes, and understand patterns ABC, AABBCC, ABBCC, ABAB, etc. Identifies money. Is familiar with conventional measuring tools like rulers, but starts with unconventional tools like a pencil.	Can see that we read right to left and top to bottom. Associates sounds with symbols for writing and begins with inventive writing which letters can be indistinguishable. And practices adding new words to his vocabulary.

Compares objects based on size and capacity.	Can retell stories and can even act them out.
Counting by 10s and understands what is a pair.	Begins to learn and recognize signs from his community like stop signs, etc.

Is familiar with a clock and the numbers on it.	Recognizes his name and attempts to “write” it.
Becomes familiar with word that represent position like under, through, on top of, etc. Also, begins basic addition and subtraction by learning how to group sets and break them apart.	Begins to sound out and read CVC words like cat, rat, and sat.

3. Decide how to pair kindergarten subjects with life skills.

Next, look at these skills above which are normally introduced in curriculum through a scope and sequence or order.

Kindergarten Subjects

So, you can either use a laid-out curriculum or continue to do what you’ve been doing up to this time in your child’s life.

For example, look at how I effortlessly blended the kindergarten homeschool subjects with life skills.

Reading aloud increases your child’s vocabulary, ability to retell, and encourages him to act out what he has learned.
Point out words or signs in your home and community to explain their meaning and what they say.
Provide plenty of pictures books to your child to look at and dream about.
Plant a garden to cover science, measuring, and “write’ on plant markers.
Instead of using the app on your phone, have your Kindergarten help with a grocery list.
Encourage your kindergarten to understand money by adding some to his piggy bank and paying for small items with your supervision.

Beautiful and Flexible Early Learner Homeschool Planner
$7.25 Add to cart

early learner planner

Kindergarten Homeschool Ideas

Also, here are more ideas of things you’ve probably already been doing.

Take care of a pet and learn to measure the pet’s food or medicine.
Practice and recite rhymes. Rhymes are not just child’s play but the foundation to hear rhyming and syllables of a word. These skills are the beginning of phonics. Eventually, the sounds will be put to writing to learn spelling. It’s important to rhyme.
Use paint brushes, q tips, sticks, to ‘”write” with.
Bake cookies and learn fractions and the measurements on the cups.
Take a nature walk and look for patterns in nature. For example, look at the repeating patterns of petals and the seeds in the head of a sunflower.
Do crafts and make a clock with moving hands.

Play games like uno and dominoes to learn number and additions.
Use popsicle sticks and glue on 10 beans and use as a counter for 10s, 20s, and etc.
Use these fun rock crayons which encourage the correct grip prior to holding a pencil.

Moreover, as you can see all of this can be done without worksheets. Puzzles, play props, and play-doh should still be part of kindergarten.

Do not give up what you’ve done for the first five years of your child’s life. Learning doesn’t always have to be divided into subjects.

Finally, if you need a curriculum, remember to use it as a framework, but do not make it the ultimate way a child learns.

What things are you naturally doing with your kindergartner each day where you’re blending learning and living?

Other Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum Resources

15 Old-Fashioned Useful Skills Homeschoolers Love To Teach

May 17, 2020 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Here are 15 old-fashioned useful skills homeschoolers love to teach. Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.

Whether you didn’t learn these skills in school or you’re determined to give your children the best education you’ll love these useful skills to teach.

Besides, teaching only academics and not life skills is a huge flaw in the educational world. We don’t want to repeat that same nonsense thinking.

15 Old-Fashioned Useful Skills Homeschoolers Love To Teach

So we choose to intentionally teach what other educators view as vintage or old-fashioned because we know some obsolete skills prepare today’s kids for adulthood.

Look at these 15 skills, academic or otherwise which homeschoolers still love to teach.

Old-Fashioned Skills for Today’s Kids

1. Cursive writing.

Unless a child has a special need, most homeschooling parents know that learning to write and cursive writing are valuable skills.

Beyond the fact that most early documents were hand-written, cursive writing supports hand-eye coordination and can reduce letter reversals.

Look at some of my tips below about how I teach writing.

2 Finance

3 Accounting

4 Budgeting

5 Money Management

6 Writing a Check

Yes they are all very different skill sets.

Although they are connected learning to budget and run a household is different than money management.

Money management is not only a skill used in personal life but can be applied to a business.

You want your children to have as many as they can get while living with you.

Today’s kids learn early how to use a debit or credit card without knowing what is a budget or knowing ways to rein in their spending.

Subjects Not Taught in Public School

Distinguishing between a need versus a want is an extremely valuable skill to teach kids.

Not teaching a kid about finances while in middle or high school or even earlier may set him up for much debt later in life.

Too, many places of business still use paper checks.

Teaching our kids both how to write out a check and how to make a bank deposit in person are necessary skills for adulting.

Next, look at these books about money and look at Whatever Happened To Penny Candy?: A Fast, Clear, and Fun Explanation of the Economics You Need for Success in Your Career, Business, and Investments.

8 Rad Money Resources to Teach Money For All Ages

Grab some of these money resources to teach your children about how to save and budget money.

Not Your Parents' Money Book: Making, Saving, and Spending Your Own Money

For the first time, financial guru and TODAY Show regular Jean Chatzky brings her expertise to a young audience. Chatzky provides her unique, savvy perspective on money with advice and insight on managing finances, even on a small scale. This book will reach kids before bad spending habits can get out of control. With answers and ideas from real kids, this grounded approach to spending and saving will be a welcome change for kids who are inundated by a consumer driven culture. This book talks about money through the ages, how money is actually made and spent, and the best ways for tweens to earn and save money.

The Toothpaste Millionaire

Sixth-grader Rufus Mayflower is betting that he can make a whole gallon of toothpaste for the same price as one tube from the store.
There’s just one problem, he has to solve real-life mathematical
equations first! With help from his good friend Kate Mackinstrey, can
these two entrepreneurs keep up with the high demand for their popular product? Beloved children’s author Jean Merrill introduces readers to the ins and outs of a budding business, from costs to profits, in this exciting tale about perseverance, ingenuity, and underdogs.

Learning Resources Money Bags Coin Value Game

MONEY GAME FOR KIDS: Players collect, count, and exchange money all the way to the finish line
MONEY SKILLS: Learn valuable money skills through fun game play
PLAY MONEY: Includes game board with spinner, 100 plastic coins, play bills, markers, and dice

Smart Money Smart Kids - Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money

In Smart Money Smart Kids, financial expert and best-selling author Dave Ramsey and his daughter Rachel Cruze equip parents to teach their children how to win with money. Starting with the basics like working, spending, saving, and giving, and moving into more challenging issues like avoiding debt for life, paying cash for college, and battling discontentment, Dave and Rachel present a no-nonsense, common-sense approach for changing your family tree.

I Want More Pizza: Real World Money Skills For High School, College, And Beyond

The perfect gift! Give the gift of financial literacy to your teen - they will thank you for a lifetime. You are not alone; it is often difficult to reach young adults on the topic of money management, but look no further. I Want More Pizza finally has teenagers excited about personal finance and is giving them the confidence that they can succeed. This resource is being used in classrooms around the nation as young adults enjoy the pizza model for learning about money management. Now available for the first time for you to bring into your home, give your young adult the gift of financial literacy and they will thank you for a lifetime. Primary topics discussed include saving, spending, prioritization, goal setting, compound growth, investing, debt, credit cards, student loans, mental blocks, and taking real world action.I am sure you have heard a few of these: "I don't need it", "I'm too young", "I need to spend my money on _____ ", and the list goes on. The pizza model for learning personal finance breaks down those barriers because, well, everyone loves pizza! Just because money management is extremely important doesn't mean that it has to be extremely complex. I Want More Pizza leaves them in complete control to find the plan that works for your young adult - it's their choice. If they don't enjoy math or don't like to plan, no problem, we've got them covered as well. And it's only ~100 pages, which young adults love given their busy social calendars. Money doesn't have to be stressful. Finally reach your young adult and help them become financially literate for a lifetime. After all, there is a lot of pizza in life to enjoy!

Managing Your Money (Usborne Life Skills)

This down-to-earth guide is filled with practical advice on everything from how to budget and be a smart shopper to student loans, mortgages and insurance. An essential book for equipping young people with the skills they need to manage their money now and in the future. Includes links to websites with more tips and advice.

12 Ways for a Homeschooled Teen to Earn Money - A Budding Entrepreneur?

Long before they are of age to start working, kids want their own money. And whether they count bricks at a construction site as a kid like my entrepreneur husband did or just want some spending money, kids are looking for creative ways to earn their own bucks.

Economics for Beginners

Nobody has everything they need, all the time – so how can we make do with what we have? Economics is all about understanding the choices we make to solve this problem. With bright, infographics pictures, this informative book describes why markets are so important, how businesses work out what to sell, and how governments choose how to run a country. Includes Usborne Quicklinks to specially selected websites for more information.

And look at my post 12 Ways for a Homeschooled Teen to Earn Money – A Budding Entrepreneur.

7. How to do taxes.

My kids started working while in high school and although they didn’t make enough to have to prepare a tax return, we still helped them prepare one.

When a child is living on his own he’ll have a basic understanding of tax deadlines and taxes.

He manages adult responsibilities way better than if you had never introduced basic tax how-tos.

8. How to cook from scratch.

The pandemic of 2020 is a perfect example of how life can throw a huge curve.

Because we want our kids self-sufficient, teaching them to cook from scratch like baking basic bread or from what is on hand saves money, teaches independence, and can be healthier.

Look below at a few ways I incorporated this into our learning day:

9. How to fill out a job application and how to do a job interview.

When I helped my first teen fill out a job application, it was hilarious.

School Doesn’t Prepare Us for Life

Although he knew what it was from the exploring career opportunities course in high school, preparing one was quite different.

To this day, he still thanks me and his dad for helping him to look at his set of skills both strengths and weakness realistically.

However, nothing compared to seeing him get ready for his first job interview.

He was pretty comfortable looking to apply for a job that required a dress jacket.

Just a word of advice, be sure your teen knows how employees are expected to dress after you go over your dos and don’ts for a first-time job interview.

10. Learn to read a map.

I love GPS too, but if you’ve ever hiked or walked in a remote area your cell phone is not really a good bet.

Besides learning about scale and distances, a map can teach local geography and can teach us what is around us.

No cell phone service needed.

Things No Longer Taught in School

Maps are engaging and foster a love of learning about places along the way instead of just getting to a point like a gps.

We can use both in our everyday and not let a generation grow up equipped without engaging with a map.

11. Diagramming a sentence.

To understand how words need to be arranged in a sentence to make their thoughts clearer, kids need many ways to learn word arrangement.

When kids have to break down or diagram each part of a sentence it leaves no room for ambiguity. This teaching technique still helps many students.

12. Auto upkeep.

Whether the tires need air or not, when and how to change the oil, and basic upkeep to maintain your safety and the life of a vehicle are important skills to know.

13. Home Economic skills.

I know home economics courses are now called some fancy name like Family And Consumer Sciences.

That is another post for me, but kids need to know how to read recipes, count food portions, food storage, food prep ideas and how to eat healthy.

And while we can teach these skills separately, it’s much easier to teach them while on the job.

Assigning your kids the responsibility to make a grocery list or a meal for the family works.

I started with easy meal ideas for my kids to make for the family and as they grew, so did the cooking skills.

Benefits of Life Skills

In addition, teaching a kid basic sewing can be a lost skill.

Back in the day learning basic sewing skills was a must because all clothes were hand-made. Learning how to sew on a button is still a valuable skill.

14. Latin.

Latin used to be taught at in a lot of public schools.

Today, not all homeschoolers teach Latin, but a lot do.

We see the value of teaching our kids the roots of modern-day language and how to analyze root meanings.

The deductive reasoning used while learning Latin helped my kids to know how to critically think.

15. High School Shop Classes.

Classes like woodworking, metal, and drafting classes seem to be dwindling.

Those types of hand skills are being lost. Electricians, plumbers, and carpenters are valuable skills needed in our community.

Also, these classes were taught in high school so that a teen had time to pursue passions and some of the classes were segues to a higher degree.

These skills are not outdated in our home, but they are skills which propel our kids to the future. A future where our kids are truly prepared for whatever comes their way.

Old Fashioned But Timeless Skills

How can a kid learn about the human body without preparing a meal?

And how can a kid value how fast human history changes unless he can read the thoughts of the founding father in their handwriting – cursive?

How can a child not be saddled with debt and stress the rest of his life unless we teach him now how to save and when to spend?

Look at some of these other reads:

We don’t have to make a choice between academics or old-fashioned practical skills a child should know. We want them both!

Hugs and love ya,

Essential Life Skills – A Homeschooler’s Other Curriculum

March 2, 2019 | Leave a Comment
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More and more parents these days are dropping their kids off at the front door of public school and are expecting teachers to do it all — teach the three Rs and life skills necessary for kids to live as functioning adults in society. As homeschoolers we have an advantage; we know that essential life skills are a crucial part of our curriculum.

With the growing concept of adulting – when young adults are learning life skills for the first time as they move out on their own – it would seem that the formula public school tends to use which is an academic approach isn’t working. And homeschoolers aren’t immune to this problem.

Essential Life Skills a Homeschoolers Other Curriculum @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

No matter in what form they educate their children, parents who try to do and be all things for their kids are doing them a great disservice. Additionally, if parents are trusting (aka hoping) that life skills will be caught, rather than taught that only seems to work out when they pick up something we don’t want them to, right?

As homeschooling families we have not only the privilege, but the responsibility to teach our kids these all-important life skill sets that make for a well-rounded and capable grown-up.

Too, we all know that skills taught like this should begin early. I focus on the teen part of life in this article because really it’s the time to maximize what we’ve been teaching them all throughout the years.

From the mouths of homeschoolin’ mommas who have been traditionally schooled comes this list of skills they didn’t learn in school. The teen years are a great time to make sure your kiddo gets these skills down while still living under your roof. And even if they’re in high school, it’s never too late for a crash course.

And they will thank you for it down the road!

And if you’re looking for curriculum to help you teach life skills, you’ll love Skill Trekker. There are 500+ skills (and counting) in the program.

Domestic Life Skills for Homeschooled Kids

basic cooking and cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, grocery shopping (online and in real life)
how to sort laundry properly
basic and advance home maintenance
basics of human anatomy and well-being
how to access home services
how to garden or at least grow and care for one plant
how to care for pets, their health and animal CPR
how to sew is not a lost skill about homeschoolers and basic alterations
how tos of basic couponing
how to change a diaper
lawn maintenance
simple electrical and plumbing know how
how to menu plan

Auto Care Skills for Homeschooled Kids

how to buy a car and basic car care (oil and filter changes, how to check oil, change a tire, etc)
determining the value of a car using the Kelley Blue Book
how to keep an auto compliant with local law
how to pump gas

Workplace Skills For Homeschooled Kids

learn how to fill out a job application
learn how to prepare a resume
prepare for a job interview
understand how to work with others in a workplace environment
how to be on time for a job

Small business management, which is so relevant to many of today’s entrepreneurial homeschoolers, was and still is often reserved for college, or at least specialized trade school programs.

Your entrepreneurial kids may enjoy the boxes from Boss Club which teach kids how to be entrepreneurs. You can click on the picture below to see how they build skills for helping your kids.

Health Care Skills for Homeschooled Kids

basic hygiene
understand how to take care of their basic health
understand differences in how food is grown or processed
how to give consent for procedures
CPR and basic first aid
understand how to use medicine versus natural remedies
how to notice and be caring when others have special needs like dementia, seizures, or panic attacks
how to give basic elder care

Financial Education for Homeschooled Kids

Last, but certainly not least, many homeschool moms failed to receive an adequate, or sometimes any, financial education while in school.

how to handle and maintain a checking account how to prepare and file taxes
how to create and stick to a budget
how credit works
the basics of a mortgage and how it works
value of saving and preparing for retirement
how to apply for insurance and discern what’s necessary

So there you have it, skills that haven’t been taught in school in the past, and most likely aren’t today.

As homeschoolers we have an advantage; we know that essential life skills are a crucial part of our curriculum. Click here to grab this list!

These aren’t fluff topics; these are concepts and abilities that will enable your teen to be a fully functioning adult and even perhaps put him ahead of many of his peers.

Don’t make your teen fumble with adulting when you can arm him with these basic essentials!

You’ll also love these other tips:

Hugs and love ya