As adults, we're expected to manage a lot of responsibilities. We schedule appointments, prepare meals, organize our households, manage our finances, and make decisions about what needs to happen today, tomorrow, or even months from now. Some of these responsibilities become part of our everyday routines, while others require us to stop, think, and figure out how we're going to accomplish something we've never done before.
But when do we actually begin learning how to plan and prepare?
Planning isn't a skill that suddenly develops when we reach adulthood. It's something we can begin learning in childhood, through everyday experiences that help us understand what needs to be done, what resources we need, and how our actions today can influence what happens next.
And just like many other leadership skills, planning and preparation require opportunities to practice.
Planning Begins With Everyday Experiences
When we think about teaching children to plan, we might imagine something formal, like sitting down with a calendar, creating a schedule, or making a list of things to accomplish. While those tools can certainly be introduced as children develop, planning doesn't have to begin with any of them.
Consider something as simple as preparing to go outside.
Before leaving the house, a child might need to put on shoes, find a jacket, or gather a toy they want to bring along. Depending on their age and development, they may not be able to complete every step independently, but they can still participate in the process.
Instead of automatically gathering everything for them, we can invite them to think about what they'll need.
"We're going outside. What do we need to take with us?"
A younger child might respond by pointing to their shoes, while an older child might begin identifying several items or even recognizing that the weather will influence what they should wear.
The activity itself is ordinary, but the thinking involved is meaningful. Children are beginning to connect what they want to do with the steps and resources needed to do it.
Over time, these experiences can help them develop the ability to anticipate needs, recognize sequences, make decisions, and take greater responsibility for their own activities.
Preparation Is Part of the Process
Planning and preparation are closely connected, but they aren't exactly the same thing.
Planning involves thinking about what we want or need to accomplish and considering how we might go about doing it. Preparation involves getting ourselves, our materials, or our environment ready to carry out that plan.
For children, both skills can be practiced through activities they're already participating in.
If we're going to paint, we might ask what supplies we'll need before beginning. If we're making breakfast, we can talk about the ingredients and utensils we need to gather. If we're visiting the library, we can encourage children to think about the books they need to return before leaving home.
These don't have to become lengthy lessons or complicated activities. In many cases, the opportunity is already there; we simply need to recognize it and make room for children to participate.
Of course, a young child might forget something, become distracted, or decide halfway through an activity that they want to do something else. That doesn't mean the experience was unsuccessful. They're still learning, and part of that learning involves discovering what happens when we prepare, when we don't prepare, and when our original plans need to change.
The objective isn't to produce children who execute every activity perfectly. It's to help them develop the thinking and practical skills they'll continue using throughout their lives.
Children Learn From What We Do
One of the ways children begin learning about planning and preparation is by observing the adults around them.
We plan and prepare for things every day, often without explaining what we're doing or why. We check the weather before getting dressed, review our schedules before making commitments, and gather what we need before beginning a project. These actions may seem routine to us, but they provide opportunities to demonstrate how planning works in everyday life.
Sometimes, all it takes is explaining our thinking aloud.
"We have an appointment tomorrow morning, so I'm going to get our things ready tonight."
Or perhaps we're preparing dinner and realize we're missing an ingredient. Rather than treating the change as nothing more than an inconvenience, we can explain that we need to adjust our original plan based on what we have available.
This also gives children an opportunity to understand something important: plans can change.
Even as adults, we don't always anticipate every obstacle or have every resource available when we need it. We make decisions based on what we know, and as circumstances change, we reconsider those decisions.
Children benefit from seeing that process, too. Planning isn't about controlling every outcome. It's about developing the ability to think ahead, make decisions, prepare where possible, and respond when things don't go as expected.
Making Room for Children to Participate
As parents and caregivers, it's often easier and faster to do things ourselves. We know what needs to happen, where everything belongs, and how long certain tasks will take. When we're managing multiple responsibilities, involving a child in the process can sometimes feel like adding another step.
But if we want children to develop these skills, they need opportunities to participate rather than simply observe the finished result.
That participation will look different depending on the child and the activity.
A toddler might help gather materials for an art project, while an older child might decide which materials are needed and organize them independently. A young child might help place items in a bag before an outing, while an older child might create their own packing list.
The responsibility can grow as their abilities develop.
We can also make room for children to contribute their own ideas. Instead of always telling them exactly what needs to happen, we can ask questions that encourage them to think through the process.
"What should we do first?"
"What do you think we'll need?"
"Is there anything we're forgetting?"
"What could we do differently next time?"
These questions aren't about testing children or expecting them to know the correct answer. They're opportunities to practice thinking, making decisions, and expressing their ideas.
And sometimes their ideas may be different from ours. When appropriate, allowing children to try their own approaches gives them opportunities to learn from the experience rather than simply following instructions.
The Importance of Returning to an Activity
One of the principles behind Leadership for Littles™ is that children benefit from returning to activities and practicing skills repeatedly.
We don't have to introduce an entirely new activity every time we want to support a child's development. In fact, familiar activities can provide valuable opportunities to recognize progress and build upon what children have already learned.
Consider preparing for an outing. The first several times, an adult may need to identify every item and help the child gather them. After participating in that process repeatedly, the child may begin recognizing what is needed without being prompted.
Eventually, they might even remind the adult about something that was forgotten.
The activity hasn't necessarily changed, but the child's participation and understanding have.
This is why I believe it's important to look beyond whether a child successfully completes a task on any particular day. We can also pay attention to how they're approaching the activity, what they're beginning to recognize, and where they're demonstrating greater independence.
Learning doesn't always happen in one sitting, and progress doesn't always follow a straight line. Children may demonstrate a skill one day and need more support the next. That doesn't erase what they've learned or mean we need to abandon the activity.
We can return to it, make adjustments, and continue providing opportunities for practice.
Building Skills That Extend Beyond Childhood
As children grow, the responsibilities they're expected to manage will change. Eventually, they may need to organize school assignments, prepare for activities, manage their time, make financial decisions, or coordinate responsibilities with other people.
The circumstances become more complex, but many of the underlying skills remain connected to those early experiences.
Recognizing what needs to be done, identifying available resources, considering possible outcomes, making decisions, and adjusting plans are all skills that support effective leadership and self-leadership.
Of course, introducing planning and preparation in childhood doesn't guarantee that someone will become an organized adult or never struggle with managing responsibilities. These abilities continue developing throughout life, and even experienced adults need to revisit and strengthen them.
But we don't have to wait until children are older to begin creating opportunities for them to practice.
We can start with the experiences already taking place in our homes, classrooms, and everyday routines.
Bringing Planning & Preparation Into Everyday Life
Leadership for Littles™ was created around the idea that leadership development doesn't have to be separate from childhood. Children are already learning through their interactions, relationships, responsibilities, and everyday activities, and we can be intentional about supporting that learning.
Planning and preparation are two examples of skills we can begin nurturing long before children are responsible for managing calendars, deadlines, or major decisions.
We can invite them to participate, explain our own thinking, give them opportunities to make choices, and return to familiar activities as their understanding develops.
Some days, they'll be eager to participate. Other days, they may need more guidance, or the activity may not unfold the way we expected. That's part of the process, too.
The goal isn't to turn childhood into a series of tasks that need to be completed. It's to recognize that the everyday experiences children are already having can provide meaningful opportunities to develop skills they'll carry with them as they grow.
Planning and preparation aren't just things we do to get ready for life. They're skills we develop by participating in it.
Explore more everyday leadership-building activities through Leadership for Littles™, including our monthly activity calendars and the Leadership for Littles 2027 Annual Calendar, designed to help parents and caregivers create opportunities for children to practice leadership skills through familiar, repeatable experiences.
