Life Skills

While developing functional goals for children and adolescents with neurodiversity, an area that can sometimes be overlooked is life skills (i.e. self-care, household tasks, work skills, etc.). Our speech and occupational therapists have put together a helpful checklist of skills for children of varying ages and abilities. These are goals that can be addressed at home, school, or in a therapeutic setting. This checklist has been developed with the special needs community in mind, but these skills are appropriate for all kids and young adults. 

​Self-Care Adaptive Skills
Teeth brushing 
Flossing
Dressing- snaps, buttons, zippers
Looking at clothes for stains/cleanliness before putting on 
Shoe tying
Dressing for different events (school vs. work vs. the gym)
Putting on deodorant
Putting on sunscreen
Checklist of what to do before leaving the house in the morning 

Household Tasks
Laundry- Putting clothes in a hamper, transferring clothes to and from washer/dryer, folding clothes, putting clean clothes in drawers or on hangers
Loading and unloading a dishwasher
Cleaning dishes 
Making a bed
Vacuuming 
Sweeping
Mopping
Emptying a trash or recycling bin
Taking out the garbage, bringing in the garbage 
Awareness of recurring household calendar events like garbage day or recycling day 
Cleaning a toilet, shower, and/or bathtub 
Wiping down a sink or countertop 
Making a grocery list, grocery shopping and crossing items off the list 
Putting groceries away 
Locking a door, unlocking a door
Storing and accessing keys
Charging a phone and using an external charger
Sewing a button 
Hanging a picture 

Social Skills
Answering a phone call
Taking a message
Asking questions of a communication partner 
Gaining and maintaining eye contact
Engaging in a conversation with a smile 
Maintaining appropriate personal space 
Practicing appropriate texting etiquette 
Asking for help in various situations (safety, at a grocery store to find an item, how to get directions on public transportation)
Building relationships-friendships to romantic
Understanding loss (of a pet, family member, skill)

Work Skills
Addressing a letter
Typing
Using a printer, copy machine, scanner, or fax machine
Taking a message 
Emptying trash cans and recycling 
Using a cash register
Bagging groceries 
Applying for a job 
Interview skills- dressing for an interview, friendly and professional etiquette, asking and answering pertinent questions
Practicing an interview 
*Consider interests and aspirations when choosing goals related to work skills

Executive Functioning 
Managing a paper or digital calendar
Setting up alerts on a phone/calendar
Scheduling appointments, meetings, and activities
Managing scheduling conflicts 
Step ahead thinking:

• If you have 2 pairs of socks left in your drawer, it’s time to do laundry. 
• If you’re going for a jog, drink water before 
• If you’re going on a job interview, print out a copy of your resume
• If you’re going to school, bring your lunch
• If you’re going outside in the summer, put on sunscreen.
• If you’re going to the pool, bring your towel, change of clothes, sunscreen, etc. 

Day to Day Skills
Filling up a vehicle or gas can at a gas station 
Advocating for self and others
Calling for help (9-1-1, tow truck, parent, supervisor)
Applying for a job
Opening a bank account
Managing a bank account
Understanding the difference between a debit card and a credit card  
Buying a car and navigating the Secretary of State
Obtaining a passport
Writing a resume  
Turning off gas and water in an emergency
Fixing a tripped breaker
Ordering food on your phone (ex. Panera or Uber Eats)
Ordering in a restaurant
Paying a bill 
Checking your change
Tipping wait staff  
Signing a bill