Most children pick up things simply by watching. However, here are some skills that need a little extra guidance because they’re a lot more complicated than things like “say please and thank you.” These lessons are practical things that’ll come in handy for them all the time in the future. Here are 17 meaningful lessons you could share with your grandkids.
Addressing and Mailing a Letter
While it may seem old-fashioned, learning how to mail a letter is incredibly useful. Start by telling them to write out their name in the top left and center the recipient’s info in the middle. Next, they should place a stamp in the corner. Show how to look up a ZIP Code online, then take a walk to a mailbox so they can drop it in themselves. It’s as simple as that.
Weather Watches, Warnings, and Radios
A weather “watch” and a “warning” sound almost the same until someone explains the difference. The first one means you should “keep an eye out,” and the other one means “go now.” You should teach them this during calm weather, so it’s not scary. You may also want to show them how a weather radio works and how to set it to your county. Even if there’s not a lot of bad weather in your area, on the off-chance there is, it makes dealing with it less confusing.
Using a Library Card and Visiting the Library
Libraries today involve a lot more than shelves and shushing. You should show them how to sign up for a card, and then amaze them with the things it’ll give them access to, like audiobooks and free streaming. It might seem obvious, yet so many kids have no idea about how to get a library card, let alone how to access books.
Sewing On a Button That Stays
A missing button will ruin a perfectly good shirt, but that doesn’t mean you should toss it. Instead, teach your grandkids how to stitch one back on. Threading the needle feels tricky at first, of course. But once they get the hang of it, they’ll realize it’s a life skill that they need to have, and it’s empowering to know you don’t have to rely on anyone else for little fixes.
Map and Compass
Phones die and signals drop. Suddenly, that GPS in your pocket isn’t so handy, and that’s why you should teach your grandkids how to read a paper map and a compass. They need to learn how to line up north and follow a bearing, as it makes the world feel a lot easier to understand. It’s also a cool party trick to walk straight to a landmark.
Perfect Stovetop Rice Every Time
Rice is cheap and filling, but lots of people mess it up. You might’ve even done so yourself. As such, teach your grandkids the “rinse, measure, simmer, rest” method because this will prevent any mushy disasters. Rice is also the foundation for many simple meals. As soon as they’re able to cook it correctly, they’ll be able to build dinners from scratch. That’s a lot better than living on instant noodles forever.
Cooking Eggs in Different Ways
That’s not all for cooking. Eggs are the first “real” food that many people learn to make, and teaching your grandkids a few methods of doing so will go a long way. One day, just walk them through making eggs sunny side up. The next day, show them soft or hard-boiled eggs. You can eventually teach them how to make a quick omelet. Once they realize how flexible eggs are, they’ll never feel stuck at mealtime.
Smoke Alarms and a Home Escape Plan
The sound of a smoke alarm is both loud and disorienting, which makes it pretty difficult to think. You should show your grandkids how to test their alarms so they know the sound isn’t random beeping. Then, walk the house together and plan two ways out of every room. It doesn’t have to be boring. Make fire safety into a bit of a game, where you crawl low as if smoke is filling the hall. Such practice could save lives.
First Aid for Minor Burns
Cooking accidents happen, and that’s especially true when kids start being curious around stoves. They should learn not to simply panic. Rather, they need to understand that cool water, not ice, is best, and that they should bandage when needed. They also need to know exactly when to see a doctor. Try to avoid any old wives’ tales of butter or toothpaste.
Grocery Math With Unit Pricing
Big family-size boxes aren’t always a deal, so you should teach your grandkids how to read the little label with the price per ounce. They should know to compare, too. Once they know how to do it, they’ll save money every time they shop. You’ll also ensure that they never fall for tricky packaging again. What greater lesson is there than that?
Bike Basics For a Smooth Ride
Riding a bike is fun until the brakes squeak or a tire’s flat, which many kids don’t know how to deal with. You should show them how to pump air properly and oil the chain. They should also learn how to check that the quick releases are secure. Yes, it’s all simple stuff, but it makes sure that their every ride is both safer and smoother. They’ll feel proud knowing they don’t have to run to a shop each time.
Keeping Houseplants Alive
Don’t let them watch a plant wilt and blame a “black thumb.” There’s no such thing. Instead, you should show them the basics of looking after a plant, including doing a finger test for watering and keeping them in a bright spot for light. They should learn to do a little rotation for even growth. Once they succeed with one plant, they’ll see that plant maintenance involves paying attention more than it does luck.
Reading a Bus Schedule and Map
Public transit often feels intimidating, but once you break it down, it’s quite logical. Show your grandkids how to tell inbound from outbound and find their stop. You should also teach them to check weekday versus weekend times. Once you’ve shown them this, ride with them once and let them pay the fare, then practice signaling for the stop. This will stop bus rides from seeming scary and make them more like freedom on wheels.
Folding a Fitted Sheet
Fitted sheets have a bad reputation for being impossible to fold, which is why so many people end up stuffing them in the back of a closet. Don’t let that be your grandkid. Show them the trick of grabbing the corners and tucking one inside the other, then keep going until it flattens out. This will make their closets look far more organized.
Wrapping a Present Neatly
Everyone knows how annoying it is when you’re wrapping a present and there’s suddenly not enough wrapping paper or the folds are messy. Do you really want your grandkids to have to deal with that? Hand them the scissors and paper, as well as the tape, then let them practice. Show them how to measure with just enough overlap and crease the corners. Now they have a skill that’ll impress people at every birthday.
Tire Pressure and the Penny Test
The next time you’re at the gas station, get your grandkids out and give them the tire gauge. You should teach them that the correct pressure is on the car door, not the tire. Allow them to read the number themselves and add or release air, with supervision, of course. Don’t forget to use a penny to teach the Lincoln head trick for checking tread depth. They’ll definitely need this skill in the future.
Shutting Off Water and Flipping Breakers
Whenever a pipe bursts or a light sparks, the last thing you want is your grandkid to stand there panicking. Show them where the water shutoff is and how the handle works. You should do the same with the breaker box. After all, flipping a switch back on isn’t scary once you’ve tried it. These household skills are easy to learn, and they’re also important.
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