Daily Life Skills Checklist
Although most daily life skills checklists are created with special needs children in mind, the basic skills of living are applicable to all children and young adults. To properly use the lists, make sure to compare on an age-appropriate basis. For example, knowing how to use a fire extinguisher is a necessary safety skill, but not an appropriate progress check for a 2-year-old. Always consult the child's doctor before comparing his progress with a checklist. The doctor will know what checklists are age- and ability-appropriate for your child, special needs or otherwise.
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Personal Care
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For most of their young life, children's personal care is provided to them by parents and caretakers. Skills such as dressing themselves, dressing appropriately for the weather, brushing teeth and hair, and bathing are skills that should be taught at a young age. Another important personal care skill that falls under safety is proper use of medication. If medicines are in reach of children, they should know what medicines are taken, when and in what dosage. Failing to teach your child respect of medicines -- even chewy vitamins -- can result in dangerous and tragic overdoses.
Communication
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Communication skills are very important for connecting to the world. You may notice children can follow basic verbal directions at very young ages, such as "No," or "Put that down." Later, they should demonstrate their own needs or wants by actions such as pointing to a cookie, or saying "potty." Speaking clearly, confidently and at the appropriate speed and volume is another necessary communication skill that sometimes takes a lot of work. If children are having trouble with speech at a young age, speech therapy can go a long way in preventing problems later in life.
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Personal Safety
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Children should be taught early how to act in emergency situations. They should know how to escape the house if the fire alarms go off. They should be able to recite their name, address and telephone number in case of an emergency. Make sure your child knows your full name as well. A lost child looking for "Mommy" is not as easily helped as one looking for "Mary Smith." They should know the difference between "okay touches" and "bad touches," and to immediately tell you about a "bad touch." They should also learn to lock and unlock a house or vehicle door and cross the street safely.
Reading, Writing and Mathematics
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Academic skills are built "brick and mortar" style. Each new lesson is a building block on top of the last. Children should first recognize all letters of the alphabet before they try to read two- and three-letter words. They will then practice understanding while reading out loud and silently. Using a dictionary properly is an important writing skill. Technology demands that children learn to use a computer and spell-check programs. The first thing children should learn to write is their name, address and telephone number. Mathematics skills begin with counting and writing numerals from 0 to 10, and then up to 100. They should be able to write numbers in word form also. These are just academic basics for young ages, and children's skills should advance with education and age.
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