At Perform, we know that drama games are a fantastic way to help children develop important life skills.
But there are also plenty of simple, everyday activities, such as gardening or baking, that can build on these skills at home.
Dr Lucy Russell, child clinical psychologist and founder of They Are The Future, joins us to share eight easy and effective ways you can help your children practise life skills at home.
1. Cook or bake together
Skill taught: Following instructions, measuring and kitchen safety
Confidence boost: Children see (and taste) the results of their efforts.
Let your child choose a simple recipe, such as pancakes or fruit kebabs.
Write out the steps together, gather ingredients and let them take the lead with tasks like measuring ingredients or stirring.
The sense of "I did that!" when they see the finished dish is priceless.
2. Token management game
Skill taught: Basic budgeting, saving versus spending
Confidence boost: Making their own spending decisions helps children feel in control.
Create homemade tokens and give your child a weekly allowance (let's say 10 tokens) to be used on activities.
Tokens can be spent on things like a trip to the park, baking cakes, or a bigger trip like the cinema.
Your child can choose to spend their tokens on smaller activities or save up for the bigger ones. Let your child allocate their allowance, track it on a simple chart and discuss their choices at the end of the week.
3. Pack for a mini trip
Skill taught: Organisation, planning ahead
Confidence boost: Packing independently builds trust in their abilities.
Whether it is an overnight stay at grandma's or a day at the park, have your child create a packing list and pack their own bag.
Review the list together and problem-solve any missing items.
This activity is a great way to develop practical life skills and personal responsibility.
4. "My chore, my responsibility" chart
Skill taught: Household management, responsibility
Confidence boost: Regularly completing chores shows children they are capable helpers.
Co-create a weekly chore chart with age-appropriate tasks, like making the bed or watering plants.
You could add a simple reward system, like earning a star for each completed task and trading five stars for a small privilege.
However, as a psychologist, I do not advise any sort of negative consequences for not completing the chores.
This approach works well in a life skills classroom or at home.
5. Show-and-tell or mini "Ted Talk"
Skill taught: Public speaking, communication
Confidence boost: Presenting to an encouraging audience builds communication skills and self-esteem.
Once a week, invite your child to prepare a short presentation on something they love: a favourite animal, a recent LEGO build, or a book.
The family can listen and ask friendly questions.
This is one of my favourite soft skills activities for kids, because it encourages both confidence and connection.
6. DIY Project
Skill taught: Planning, fine motor skills, problem-solving
Confidence boost: Completing a real-life household project creates pride in their craftsmanship and manual skills.
Help your child build a simple wooden bird feeder using a basic kit or pre-cut pieces from a hardware shop.
They can sand the wood, drill pilot holes (with supervision), assemble pieces with screws, and apply a weather-resistant finish.
Once mounted outside a window or in a garden, they'll experience the satisfaction of watching birds regularly visit something they built with their own hands.
This teaches practical woodworking skills while creating something that serves a real purpose and provides ongoing enjoyment.
7. Garden a "smile garden"
Skill taught: Plant care, patience, responsibility
Confidence boost: Watching something grow because of their efforts reinforces self-efficacy.
Give your child a pot or patch of soil, some seeds (sunflowers, nasturtiums or cosmos are great for beginners) and a watering schedule.
Have them record plant growth in a "garden diary." This is a wonderful way to teach practical life activities and nurture a sense of responsibility and patience.
In my view, patience is a hugely underrated skill and one which many of us lack these days, because we are all getting used to instant gratification.
The rewards are huge if we take the time to hone the skill.
8. Daily "mindful minute" and gratitude journal
Skill taught: Emotional regulation, self-awareness
Confidence boost: Reflecting on strengths and successes builds a positive self-image.
Wind down each evening with a "mindful minute" of deep breathing, creating a quiet moment for your child to pause and reflect.
Then have them write or draw three things they felt grateful for or good about that day.
This simple daily practice helps children notice positive moments and builds confidence by shifting focus from what went wrong to what went right.
Dr Lucy Russell is an expert in children's autism and ADHD and founded They Are The Future to offer specialist autism guidance directly to parents through easy-to-access online resources and courses. Find out more at theyarethefuture.co.uk
