The Curriculum
A free life skills curriculum, from early childhood to later life
The practical skills school leaves to chance, set out by age: what to be able to do at each stage of life, in nine areas, with a step-by-step lesson for each core skill. It is free to read, print and teach from, at home or in a classroom.
- 7
- stages
- 9
- areas
- 120
- units
- 391
- outcomes
- 150
- lessons
The seven stages
Each with outcomes, lessons and a checklist- 1Life skills for toddlers and preschoolersAges 0–5 · 14 units · 3 lessonsSafe sleep for infants · Toilet training · Early emotional regulation · Patience and separation · …
- 2Life skills for kids, ages 6 to 11Ages 6–11 · 19 units · 29 lessonsTeeth and handwashing · Movement basics · Breathing to calm down · Naming and managing feelings · …
- 3Life skills for teensAges 12–17 · 41 units · 82 lessonsHygiene and puberty · Sleep · Nutrition basics · Exercise · …
- 4Life skills for young adults, 18 to 24Ages 18–24 · 18 units · 24 lessonsRoutine health checks · Solitude and loneliness · Stress and burnout · Assembling furniture · …
- 5Life skills for adultsAges 25–44 · 13 units · 8 lessonsShared sleep and sleep problems · Cooking for others · Sharing a home · Childproofing · …
- 6Life skills for midlife, 45 to 64Ages 45–64 · 7 units · 3 lessonsStrength, balance and mobility · Grief · Judgment and uncertainty · Hosting a meal · …
- 7Life skills for later life, 65 and overAges 65+ · 8 units · 1 lessonSleep in later life · Memory in later life · Cooking in later life · Aging in place · …
Units by area and age
Number of units in each stage| Area | Early years0–5 | Primary6–11 | Teens12–17 | Young adult18–24 | Adult25–44 | Midlife45–64 | Later life65+ | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Mind | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| People | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 21 |
| Money | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| Safety | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| Information | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Kitchen | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Home | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| Hands | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
How to use it
- Parents: open the stage for your child’s age and pick one unit a month. The outcomes say what “done” looks like, and each linked lesson has the steps and the common mistakes.
- Teachers and homeschoolers: each unit is a self-contained topic with outcomes you can assess. Print a stage’s checklist for students to track their own progress.
- Adults: start with the adult checklist or the 2-minute test, then work through the gaps. Ages are a guide, not a deadline: anyone who missed a skill can start with its lesson.
Every number in the lessons is cited to its source, and emergency skills point you to a certified class. Read how we check facts, or browse the Manual for the principles behind each area.