Age Appropriate Life Skills List

When it comes to homeschooling, one thing I have put down on our curriculum checklist is an age-by-age life skills list (aka a list of chores with a purpose) as a guide to remind me as a mom to encourage my children to develop the skills they need to function as a mature and responsible adult when they get older.  While my daughters definitely are not old enough to have completed this entire list, being the planner I am I decided to go ahead and make my goal list so I know that I’m on the right track.  Maybe it will encourage you too as you prepare a chore chart for your child and/or prepare your child for adulthood.  Believe it or not, those days will be here before we know it.

Preschool (by 4 years)

• Undress and dress self
• Comb hair
• Wash face and hands
• Brush teeth
• Set and clear table
• Put clothes away
• Pick up toys   

Kindergarten (by 5 years)

• Feed the pets
• Dust furniture
• Empty Trash
• Know address and phone number
• Know how to make a 911 call

1st Grade (by 6 years)

• Clean and trim nails
• Sweep patio and dining room

2nd Grade (by 7 years)

• Clean drawers and closet
• Water house plants

3rd Grade (by 8 years)

• Vacuum
• Mop floors
• Do dishes
• Put away groceries
• Measure correctly when cooking
• Basic sewing skills (possible books to consider when teaching:  My First Sewing Book:  Hand Sewing by Winky Cherry or My First Hand Sewing Book by Alison McNicol)

4th Grade (by 9 years)

• Follow a recipe
• Fold/separate clean laundry
• Polish shoes
• Basic Machine sewing skills (possible books to consider when teaching:  My First Sewing Machine Book by Winky Cherry and Sewing School: 21 Sewing Projects Kids Will Love to Make by Amie Plumley)

5th Grade (by 10 years)

• Clean bathrooms
• Hang clothes on clothesline
• Change bed linens
• Wash cards
• Clean interior of car
• Weed garden
• Basic crocheting skills (possible book to consider when teaching:  Kids Crochet: Projects for Kids of All Ages by Kelli Ronci)

6th Grade (by 11 years)

• Plan a balanced meal
• Make a savings account deposit
• Create and use a simple budget
• Basic woodworking skills (possible book to consider when teaching:  The All-New Woodworking for Kids by Kevin McGuire)

7th Grade (by 12 years)

• Iron clothing
• Hand wash clothing
• Simple mending and sewing

8th Grade (by 13 years)

• Mow lawn
• Trim shrubs
• Replace light bulbs
• Change vacuum bag and belt

9th Grade (by 14 years)

• Wash windows
• Unstop a drain
• Clean refrigerator
• Sew an outfit

10th Grade (by 15 years)

• Change AC filter
• Understand breakers
• Wash all laundry on own

11th Grade (by 16 years)

• Plan and shop for a week’s worth of groceries
• Basic car care
• How to change a tire
• How to change car oil

12th Grade (by 17 years)

• Life experiences via a part-time job or entrepreneurship, a personal checking account, local vocational school course, etc.
• Manage and pay family bills for one month