Here are resources to help nurture your child and equip them with essential skills to succeed in life. "Future-proofing" involves developing a foundational skill set that allows adaptability to future job markets and careers. With rapid advancements in AI, large language models (like ChatGPT), robotics, and more, many common jobs will be replaced. We aim to prepare your children for these changes. These 100 skills are categorized, each with an activity to start developing that skill. These activities are just starting points; how you expand on them is up to you.
Download and print this PDF.
Critical Thinking: Solve a brain teaser or logic puzzle.
Financial Literacy: Set up a simple savings jar for a small goal.
Cooking and Healthy Eating: Make a simple recipe and learn which foods are healthy.
Gardening: Plant and care for a small herb or flower pot.
First Aid: Learn how to clean and bandage a small cut.
DIY and Repairs: Fix a broken toy with supervision.
Environmental Awareness: Start a recycling routine at home.
Organization: Organize a drawer or bookshelf.
Physical Fitness: Follow a short exercise routine or go for a walk. Learn a few types of exercises.
Reading and Research: Read a book on a topic of interest and summarize it.
Gardening: Plant a small vegetable garden in the backyard or in pots.
Animal Husbandry: Build a simple chicken coop and care for a few chickens.
Food Preservation: Make and can homemade jam using fresh fruit.
Sewing and Mending: Sew a simple pillowcase or mend a torn piece of clothing.
Composting: Start a compost bin and regularly add kitchen scraps and yard waste.
Beekeeping: Visit a local beekeeper to learn the basics of beekeeping.
Woodworking: Build a birdhouse using basic woodworking tools and techniques.
Herbal Medicine: Grow and dry herbs to make simple herbal teas or salves.
Renewable Energy: Set up a small solar-powered garden light system.
Water Management: Install a rain barrel to collect and use rainwater for gardening.
Bible Study: Read and discuss a short Bible story.
Prayer: Practice saying a simple prayer before meals and during nightly devotion.
Worship Participation: Sing along to a worship song at home.
Memorizing Scripture: Memorize a short Bible verse.
Christian Fellowship: Participate in a children’s church group activity.
Service and Volunteering: Help with a church or community service project.
Understanding Christian Ethics: Discuss the meaning of a parable from the Bible.
Spiritual Journaling: Write a thank-you prayer in a journal.
Sharing Faith: Share a favorite Bible story with a friend.
Music Ministry: Learn a simple worship song on an instrument or sing it.
Biblical History: Create a timeline of major Biblical events.
Missionary Work Awareness: Write a letter to a missionary.
Christian Art and Symbols: Create artwork with Christian symbols.
Worship Leading and Teaching: Plan a family worship time or devotion.
Stress Management: Practice deep breathing, counting, and pray during stressful moments.
Handling Temptation: Role-play scenarios and discuss Biblical responses.
Addressing Pride: Read and discuss Bible stories that teach humility.
Self-Control: Set a goal, like avoiding sweets, and pray for strength.
Dopamine Management: Create a balanced schedule of work and play and discuss moderation.
Love: Perform an act of kindness without expecting anything in return.
Joy: Keep a gratitude journal, writing three things you’re thankful for each day.
Peace: Spend quiet time in nature, reflecting on God’s creation.
Patience: Engage in a slow, deliberate activity like baking bread.
Kindness: Do a random act of kindness for someone.
Coping with Emotions: Keep a "feelings journal" to draw or write about emotions.
Creative Thinking: Brainstorm uses for a common object (e.g., paperclip).
Critical Thinking: Solve a logic puzzle or riddles together.
Decision-Making Skills: Play a decision-making game with scenarios.
Interpersonal Skills: Role-play social scenarios like introductions or conflict resolution.
Problem-Solving Skills: Set up an indoor or outdoor obstacle course to solve.
Communication: Practice active listening by summarizing a friend’s story.
Teamwork: Build a group project like a jigsaw puzzle.
Empathy: Read a story and discuss the characters' feelings.
Conflict Resolution: Role-play a simple conflict and its resolution.
Leadership: Organize a small family activity or game.
Time Management: Create a daily schedule or to-do list.
Responsibility: Take care of a small household chore daily.
Resilience: Discuss a time they faced a challenge and overcame it.
Mindfulness: Practice a short guided reflection on God’s love in a quiet space.
Public Speaking: Present a short talk about a favorite hobby to the family.
Drawing and Painting: Draw and paint a favorite animal.
Sculpting: Create a simple figure with Play-Doh or modeling clay.
Digital Art: Use a tablet app like Procreate to create a digital drawing.
Photography: Take a series of photos of nature around your home.
Filmmaking: Make a short video using a smartphone.
Storytelling: Write and illustrate a short story.
Music: Learn to play a simple song on a keyboard or piano.
Dance: Learn a dance routine from a YouTube tutorial.
Theater: Act out a short play or skit with family or friends.
Crafting: Make a simple craft project like a paper airplane or origami.
Market Research: Survey friends and family about a product idea.
Branding: Design a logo and create a brand story.
Digital Marketing: Create and “post” (write on a piece of paper) on a social media account promoting an idea or product.
Sales Techniques: Role-play a sales pitch scenario.
Customer Relationship Management: Write thank-you notes to friends or family.
Content Creation: Write a blog post or create a video on a favorite activity.
Advertising: Design an ad for a pretend product.
Data Analytics: Track and analyze likes and comments on any social media post.
Public Relations: Write a press release for a school event.
E-commerce: Set up a mock online store and list a few items.
Basic Coding: Use the Scratch website to create a simple interactive story or game.
Problem-Solving: Solve puzzles on Code.org’s Hour of Code.
Algorithm Design: Create a flowchart for a simple daily routine.
Robotics: Build and program a simple robot using LEGO WeDo or smart robot car kit.
Basic Electronics: Create a basic circuit with a breadboard, battery, wires, resistor, and LED.
App Development: Use MIT App Inventor to create a basic app (block based coding).
Web Development: Create a simple webpage with HTML on Codecademy.
Data Analysis: Use a spreadsheet to record and analyze daily weather.
Cybersecurity Basics: Complete an online safety course designed for kids.
Digital Literacy: Practice typing skills using a program like TypingClub.
Artificial Intelligence Understanding: Watch a kid-friendly video about AI.
Sustainability Practices: Start a compost bin for kitchen scraps.
Cultural Competency: Learn about and cook a dish from another culture.
Advanced Digital Literacy: Explore basic coding and problem solving with Blockly Games.
Mental Health Awareness: Discuss feelings and how to handle them.
Entrepreneurial Thinking: Set up a small lemonade stand or a similar project.
Interdisciplinary Knowledge: Combine art and science by drawing an animal and labeling its parts.
Adaptability to Change: Play a game that requires quick thinking and adaptation, like Simon Says.
Ethical Decision Making: Discuss a simple moral dilemma and potential solutions.
Global Citizenship: Learn about a current global issue and discuss ways to help.