Young children learn a lot through play, especially pretend play when they imagine themselves into situations that we would not yet allow them to do for real. But your children also need help to learn practical life skills within the family, at an age when they are likely to listen to your advice and imitate your safe actions.
When can you let children do things for themselves?
There are no neat answers to this question and a more practical way forward is to consider 'what do my children need to know and be able to do before I let them ...' Family life is ideal for showing children steadily how to take care of themselves: handling ordinary tools, simple cooking and how to move around their neighbourhood. Skills like road safety are a long-term project. But you lay firm foundations with young children because you voice out loud what you currently do on their behalf.
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