Our family usually had a day set aside for yard work where a parent did yard work alongside and supervising. Transitioning a child to utilizing a lawn mower is a significant big step. Remember that some children this age are not ready to take on this responsibility. Be cautious and proceed with lots of understanding. Our role was that if you could not get the mower started, you could not use it.  

Starting in the spring when you are doing maintenance on your lawn mower is the best time to teach your child how to mow the lawn and use the lawn mower correctly. Spend some time pre-talking. Explain that you will walk alongside them until you and they feel comfortable using the mower.  

 They can learn about the blades and where all major parts are located. Show them the safety lever on the handle and how it works. Also, ensure they wear jeans, close-toed shoes, and safety goggles. Show them how to put gas in the lawn mower. Show them how to prime the pump and how the throttle works as they pull the cord to get it started.   

When they get it started, walk alongside them and make sure they can maneuver without much difficulty. It does seem that the self-propelled lawnmowers are easier to handle. But, sometimes, the horsepower behind the self-propelling feature is a little hard for them to control. Explain to them how you mow. Most people start cutting along the outer edge of the yard. Then they overlap that pass by a wheel width for the next pass, and so on.   

Plan on working in the yard at the same time they are mowing so that you will be able to supervise them.