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Teach Me a Skill

Child teaches a parent a concrete procedure step by step (a knot, a paper fold, a game move), sequencing the steps and checking the parent actually got each one before moving on.

Cartoon illustration of a parent and child at home doing Teach Me a Skill.
  • Age6 to 10 years
  • Time5 to 15 minutes
  • EnergyCalm
  • CostFree
  • WhereIndoors
  • PrepNone

Your child becomes the teacher and walks you through a small skill they know, one step at a time, checking that you have really got each step before moving on to the next.

How to do it

  1. Ask your child to pick one small thing they know how to do that they could teach you, such as a knot, a paper fold, or a move in a game.
  2. Let them decide where to start, and settle into the role of the learner who genuinely does not know yet.
  3. Follow their instructions exactly as given, so that if a step is unclear the result comes out wrong and they see it.
  4. After each step, let your child check whether you got it right before they move you on to the next step.
  5. When you have learned the whole thing, thank them and do it once more together.

What you need

  • Skill prop

Make it yours

Younger, 5-6 years: Pick a two or three step skill and let them show as much as tell. Older, 8-10 years: Choose something with more steps and have them teach without touching your hands, using words only. Siblings: An older child teaches a younger one, with you nearby to keep it patient and kind.

Try this with your child.

Tell PLAI™ about your child and this moment. It shapes the activity to fit.

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