100 Life Skills to Teach Kids in Under 5 Minutes

General Living Spaces

• Run a floor vacuum
• Use a hand vacuum
• Sweep the floor
• Change a lightbulb
• Change batteries
• Test batteries
• Light a match
• Water houseplants
• Hang up coats and backpacks
• Put away shoes
• Recycle magazines and newspapers
• Add events to a family calendar

Safety

• Open, close, and lock windows
• Stow an emergency house key
• Check that all stove burners are off
• Use a fire extinguisher
• Locate smoke detectors

Kitchen + Dining

• Turn on a gas range burner
• Operate the microwave oven
• Operate the toaster
• Crack an egg
• Fry an egg
• Scramble an egg
• Make pasta
• Make a salad
• Make a toasted cheese sandwich
• Make a smoothie
• Grate cheese
• Cut/slice soft fruits and vegetables
• Peel carrots or potatoes
• Boll water for tea
• Refill the ice cube tray
• Identify freezer burn
• Find ingredients in the pantry
• Use a kitchen scale
• Make school lunch
• Empty/clean out a lunchbox
• Wipe down a shelf in the refrigerator
• Collect trash around the house
• Replace trash bags
• Add to a grocery list
• Check food expiration dates
• Put new food items behind old ones
• Add to a composter
• Load the dishwasher
• Start the dishwasher
• Empty the dishwasher
• Set the table
• Clear the table
• Wrap and store dinner leftovers

Bedroom

• Make the bed
• Change sheets and pillowcases
• Put away laundry
• Tidy bookshelves/dresser

Bathroom

• Fix loose toilet lift chain
• Scrub a toilet
• Plunge a toilet
• Wipe down the bathroom countertop
• Hang folded bathroom towels
• Replace the toilet paper
• Replace bath soap and shampoo
• Add soap to refillable soap bottles
• Wipe down the bathroom mirror

Laundry

• Start the washing machine
• Start the dryer
• Use a home dry cleaning kit
• Sew on a button
• Use an iron
• Fold towels
• Fold sheets
• Hang delicate clothes to air dry

Office Work Place

• Address and stamp an envelope
• Refill a stapler
• Refill paper in a printer
• How to answer a professional work call

Pets

• Clean out a cat litter box
• Refresh a pet's food and water
• Pick up and dispose of dog poop
• Pet health & working with a vet
• How to care walk a dog in freezing temperatures
• Information on spaying & neutering a pet

Out in the world

• Identify route landmarks
• Put air in a bike tire
• Navigate crosswalks
• Hail a taxi or Uber
• Protect personal items in a crowd
• Mail letters
• Read labels at the grocery store
• Compare prices at the grocery store
• Bag groceries
• Order from a menu
• Leave a tip
• Check books out at the library
• Read a bus/train schedule
• Buy bus/train fare
• Trade in coins for cash at the bank
• Deposit a check at the bank
• Operate an ATM
• Use a debit card
• Vote