Teach Your Child Responsibility and Boost Confidence with this Simple Daily Task: Ironing

As parents, we all want to raise responsible and confident children. We want them to be independent and self-sufficient. However, it can be challenging to know where to start. The good news is that there are simple daily tasks that can help your child develop these essential life skills. Ironing is one such task that can teach responsibility and boost confidence in your child. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of this activity and how you can get your child involved in the process.

Ironing

Suitable Age: 3+

Materials: 

• The tray consists of :
  • An ironing board
  • Travel iron (temperature blocked for safety)
  • Plugged into a power bar
  • Two small baskets (one containing various ribbons to be ironed and the other for the ironed ribbons)

Direct Aim:

• To iron items independently

Indirect Aim:

• Concentration
• Hand-eye coordination
• Independence
• Order of sequence
• Fine motor skills

Presentation/ Child instruction: 

1. Show the child where the iron board and iron are kept in the classroom (the ironing board is usually kept in the same spot at all times). Invite the child to choose a ribbon from the basket, that he would like to iron. Show the child how to turn on the light on the power bar (to show that the iron is ‘on’).
2. Once, the iron is on and the iron seems to be warm, begin to iron the ribbon that the child has chosen (working from left to right, then back on the ironing board).
3. Once the ribbon has been ironed, invite the child to fold the item and place it in the other basket.
4. Invite the child to choose another ribbon from the basket that requires to be ironed.
5. At this point, give the child an opportunity to iron a ribbon on his own. Once complete, the child will fold the item and place it in the basket with the other ribbon.
6. When all items have been ironed, folded, and placed in the basket invite him to place all items back onto the shelf or in their proper places (if the child is ironing classroom laundry). Show the child how to turn ‘off’ the light on the power bar to shut off the power to the iron.
7. Invite the child to iron anytime he sees the basket has wrinkled items in it.

Point of interest:

• The iron, the ironing board, and the results of the smooth and wrinkle-free ribbons

Control of Error: 

• Forgetting to fold the item after it has been ironed
• Unable to use the iron properly
• Forgetting to turn on/off the power bar
• Having wrinkles in the item ironed

>> Read more: Teach Your Child Responsibility and Boost Confidence with this Simple Daily Task: Washing Clothes