Practical Life activities at home!

Ideas for at home

It’s quite easy to incorporate practical life activities at home with a little preparation. Think about which items the child will need and have them at the ready, only put out a small amount (eg just a small amount of butter for spreading in a small dish), and be there to step in to help out when needed.

Some ideas for at home:

Helping with the laundry – bringing things to the laundry basket, putting clothes in and out of the washing machine, adding soap, sorting washing

Getting dressed and undressed – provide just as much help as necessary and provide clothing that is easy for the child to learn to master

Help with breakfast – have a container with a scoop in it for them to serve their own cereal; add a small jug of milk on the breakfast table; setting the table

Help with lunch – have a small amount of items where the child can serve themselves, for example, some slices of bread or rice crackers with various toppings or spread; the child may wish to help wash up

Help with dinner – preparing vegetables (look for implements suitable for small hands) and salad; setting the table; washing up

Cleaning up – making the beds, getting a towel, tidying away toys

Tips for at home

Most of all remember it is meant to be fun!

Only put out as much as you want to clean up – be it water, dish soap, a travel size bottle of shampooHave cleaning supplies at the ready – a hand mitt on the table to wipe up spills, a child sized broom and mop for larger mess. When they are under 2 years old, activities will have one or two steps. As they gain mastery, add more steps, eg, put on an apron, wipe up at the end, take wet cloths to the laundry etc.

Focus on the process not the result – when your child helps it will take longer, it may not look perfect at the end, but your child is learning to master these skills and you will have a life-long helper at home. Look for ways your child can help – when younger keep it simple (an 18 month old can help carry the t-shirt while you carry the trousers to the laundry basket and can rinse some salad leaves for dinner); as they get to 2+ years, they can help out with even more. Look for baskets, trays and simple caddies to arrange items for them to help