The Great Advantage: Practical Life Is The Boost Children Need

As a society, we’ve come to respect independence and self-determination as more and more necessary to a decent quality of life. But over time, one very large group of Americans has gone completely in the opposite direction, experiencing a dramatic decline in its enjoyment of independence and self-determination. That group is children.

The exercises of Practical Life provide the foundation for all other activities, fulfilling the child’s plea: “Help me to do it myself!” Through exercises in daily living, such as pouring and scrubbing, sewing and gardening, or practicing grace and courtesy, the child gains confidence and mastery of the environment,

After individual skills are refined, children apply them in purposeful work, such as serving juice or polishing. Specifically, these activities contribute to the control and coordination of movement, development of concentration, and the self-esteem that comes with making a real contribution to the family and school community.