Books That Teach Life Skills to Tweens
by Dena McMurdie
Before my oldest child started kindergarten, I attended an open house at her school, where they held a question-and-answer session. One of the other parents asked, “What does my child need to know before school starts?” The answers surprised everyone. Instead of asking parents to teach their children their ABCs or 123s, teachers wanted the children to know age-appropriate life skills: How to open a string cheese, use the bathroom independently, tie their shoes, and twist open an applesauce pouch.
As my kids grew, their need for life skills grew with them. The tween years were excellent for encouraging my kids to learn how to cook, clean, camp, use money, and deal with challenging social situations. My kids and I often turned to books to help fill in the gaps. Here are some fantastic titles that teach life skills to tweens.
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How To Talk So People Will Listen
Available from:Public speaking, even to small groups of friends, can be a daunting task for tweens. This book brilliantly addresses this necessary life skill. Lizzie Waterworth uses hilarious cartoons, stories, and on-point advice to teach tweens how to speak confidently and effectively.
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Let's Get Gardening
Available from:Gardening is an essential life skill in many parts of the country and the world. This book gives kids 30 easy gardening projects to get them started. From windowsill plants and insect sanctuaries to growing fruits and vegetables, it offers plenty of inspiration and advice to help kids succeed at gardening.
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Food Network Magazine The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook
Available from:Learning to cook simple, nutritious meals is a life skill everyone needs to learn. This book offers young chefs 150 recipes they will love making and eating. Whether they enjoy kid-friendly fare or want to hone their cooking skills with more complex dishes, this book has recipes for everyone.
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Priceless Facts about Money
Available from:Teach your tween financial literacy with the help of this excellent book from Mellody Hobson! This book offers kids much-needed financial advice and tips, from wage gaps to saving and investing. For even more financial literary advice, check out Get To Know: Money by Kalpana Fitzpatrick and Rebel Girls Money Matters by Rebel Girls with Alexa von Tobel.
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The Startup Squad: You're the Boss
Available from:With entrepreneurship on the rise for people of all ages, this book is a must-read for young dreamers. Whether your tween wants to start babysitting or launch an online store, they’ll find loads of advice, tips, and guidance on everything from cash flow to marketing.
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The Home Edit for Teens
Available from:Books like The Home Edit for Teens proved essential reading as my pre-teen kids started middle school and took on more personal responsibility. This title guides tweens to finding their personal style, staying organized, and decluttering.
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Essential Life Skills for Boys
Available from:From washing laundry to staying safe online, this useful guidebook gives brief how-tos about a wide range of topics. Tweens will find advice on personal hygiene, making friends, money, communication, and caring for a pet. If you have a tween girl, check out the companion title, Essential Life Skills for Girls.
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Social Situation Survival Guide
Available from:This book can help young people who feel lost in social situations learn essential “soft skills.” Readers will learn to navigate tricky social situations, such as feeling awkward, making friends, collaborating with others, and learning new things. While the author wrote this book with girls in mind, it offers excellent knowledge for every young person, regardless of gender.
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Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars
Available from:My husband and I come from outdoorsy families, so we wanted to teach our kids similar life skills. Books like this bestseller from the host of the TV show MeatEater, Steven Rinella, helped our kids seek adventure outdoors. With how-to guides on everything from fossil collecting to fishing and hunting, this book is a must-have resource for nature-loving families.
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